Method and system for assisting in backups and restore operation over different channels

• US 7,398,286 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Stockenberg, John E., Elliott, William J. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/052,325
• Time in Patent Office: 3,752 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 709200-253, 713/188, 713/201, 713/186
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments

Abstract

A method and system for assisting with backup and restore operations of data stored in a data storage system is provided. The server and client processes of the backup and restore application include software which allow both processes to communicate with one another either over a network or through the data storage system. The server and client processes are capable of recognizing the calls for both types of communication mechanisms needed for either network or data storage system communications. Once the type of call is recognized the processes can direct the call to the appropriate communication mechanism.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

first and second processes residing on first and second computers, respectively, the first and second processes being used with at least one of a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation, wherein each of said first and said second computers are in communication with a data storage system which stores data from at least said first and second computers and a network;

at least one first communication mechanism residing on each of said first and second computers for facilitating communications between said first and second processes over said network;

a second communication mechanism residing on each of said first and second computers for facilitating communication between said first and second processes through said data storage system; and

means for determining whether a communication to be facilitated between said first and second processes is from the first communication mechanism or the second communication mechanism and facilitating the communication between the first process and the second process over said network in response to determining that a communication is from said first communication mechanism, and facilitating the communication between the first process and the second process through said data storage system in response to determining that a communication is from said second communication mechanism, the means for determining being within said first and second processes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second processes are part of a backup or restore process.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said at least one first communication mechanism is a network socket.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said communication mechanism is a data storage system socket, and information is transferred from said first process to said second process through said data storage system with the data storage socket.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation is capable of backing up and/or restoring information from file system or database applications.

6. A method for assisting with at least one of a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation in a computer system, the method comprising, in parallel:

(a) establishing at least one first connection over a network, between first and second processes that are each used with the at least one of the backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation and that are each residing on different computers, wherein said at least one first connection is configured to be responsively used for communication over a network; and

(b) establishing a second connection, through a data storage system, between said first and said second processes, wherein said second connection is configured to be responsively used for communication over said data storage system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:

creating a first pair of communication mechanisms on a designated port of each of said different computers, wherein said first pair includes a first communication mechanism on said designated port of one computer of said different computers and a second communication mechanism on said designated port of another computer of said different computers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

requesting, with said first communication mechanism of said communication mechanism pair, a connection to said second communication mechanism of said communication mechanism pair; and

accepting said connection request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further comprises the step of:

creating a second pair of communication mechanisms on the designated port of each of said different computers, wherein said second pair includes a first communication mechanism on said designated port of one computer of said different computers and a second communication mechanism on said designated port of another computer of said different computers and wherein said second pair of communication mechanisms is used for transferring a different type of information than would be transferred over said first pair of communication mechanisms.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

requesting with said first communication mechanism of said second pair of communication mechanisms, a connection to said second communication mechanism of said second pair of communication mechanisms; and

accepting said connection request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

creating a third pair of communication mechanisms on a second designated port, wherein said third pair includes a first communication mechanism and a second communication mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of:

requesting with said first communication mechanism of said third pair of communications mechanisms a connection to said second communication mechanism of said second pair of communications mechanisms; and

accepting said connection request.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (b) further comprises the steps of:

receiving information about a group of resources in said data storage system;

creating a fourth pair of communication mechanisms in response to receiving information about said group of resources, wherein said fourth pair includes a first communication mechanism and a second communication mechanism; and

connecting said first communication mechanism and said second communication mechanism of said fourth pair of communication mechanisms to each other through said data storage system.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein said backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation is for backing up and restoring information from a file system application.

15. A method for assisting with a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation in a computer system, the method comprising:

establishing a connection, over a network, between a first process and a second process that are each used with a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation and that are each residing on different computers;

receiving information about a communication mechanism over the established connection;

establishing a second connection over the network, on the communication mechanism, between said first and second processes;

identifying resources on a data storage system to be used in order to transfer information through said data storage system; and

establishing a connection between said first and second processes through said data storage system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation is used in conjunction with a database application.

17. A computer system comprising:

a first computer having a first process residing thereon and a second computer having a second process residing thereon, the first and second processes including at least one of a backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation;

a network connecting the first computer to the second computer;

a first communication mechanism residing on each of the first and second computers for facilitating communications between the first and second processes over the network; and

a data storage system coupled to the first computer and the second computer;

a second communication mechanism residing on each of the first and second computers for facilitating communications between the first and second processes through the data storage system, wherein the first and second processes are configured to determine from which of the first communication mechanism and the second communication mechanism communications between the first and second processes originate, and wherein a communication that originates from the first communication mechanism is transmitted between the first and second processes over the network and a communication that originates from the second communication mechanism is transmitted between the first and second processes through the data storage system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least one first communication mechanism is a network socket.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said second communication mechanism is a data storage system socket, and information to be transferred from said first process to said second process through said data storage system passes through said data storage system socket.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said backup and restore, or backup, or restore operation is capable of backing up and restoring information from file system or database applications.