Systems and methods for optimizing restoration of stored data

• US 7,421,617 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Woychowski, John P., Anderson, Curtis, Wadher, Pratik
• Primary Examiner(s): Maskulinski; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/215,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques

Abstract

A system and method is provided for optimizing restoration of stored data. A request for data to be restored to any point in time is received. A current state of the data is determined. One or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested are identified. The data at the any point in time is restored within a storage medium using the identified one or more data blocks.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing restoration of stored data comprising:

receiving a request for data to be restored to any point in time;

determining a current state of the data;

identifying one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested;

determining an optimal restoration based on the current state of the data determination and the identification of the one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested; and

restoring the data at the any point in time within a storage medium using the identified one or more data blocks based on the optimal restoration determination.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising utilizing the restored data as a basis for generating at least one additional data block.

3. The method recited in claim 2, further comprising buffering the additional at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the any point in time includes an event.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a historical view of the restored data to present to a user in response to the request for the data to be restored to any point in time.

6. The method recited in claim 5, further comprising allowing a user to generate at least one additional data block utilizing the historical view.

7. The method recited in claim 6, further comprising buffering the at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

8. The method recited in claim 7, further comprising mapping the at least one additional data block with a branching data structure.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more data blocks may comprise various sizes of data.

10. A system for optimizing restoration of stored data comprising:

a recovery server configured to receive a request for data to be restored to any point in time, determine a current state of the data, identify one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested, determine an optimal restoration based on the current state of the data determination and the identification of the one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested; and

a storage medium configured to be restored with the data to the any point in time from the identified one or more data blocks based on the optimal restoration determination.

11. The system recited in claim 10, further comprising a computing device associated with a user configured to utilize the restored data as a basis for generating at least one additional data block.

12. The system recited in claim 11, wherein the computing device is further configured to buffer the additional at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

13. The system recited in claim 10, wherein the any point in time includes an event.

14. The system recited in claim 10, wherein the recovery server is further configured to generate a historical view of the restored data to present to a user in response to the request for the data to be restored to any point in time.

15. The system recited in claim 14, wherein the recovery server is further configured to allow a user to generate at least one additional data block utilizing the historical view.

16. The system recited in claim 15, wherein the recovery server is further configured to buffer the at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

17. The system recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one additional data block is mapped with a branching data structure.

18. The system recited in claim 10, wherein the one or more data blocks may comprise various sizes of data.

19. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium having instructions for optimizing restoration of stored data comprising:

receiving a request for data to be restored to any point in time;

determining a current state of the data;

identifying one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested;

determining an optimal restoration based on the current state of the data determination and the identification of the one or more data blocks required to modify the data from the current state to the any point in time requested; and

restoring the data at the any point in time within a storage medium using the identified one or more data blocks based on the optimal restoration determination.

20. The computer program recited in claim 19, further comprising utilizing the restored data as a basis for generating at least one additional data block.

21. The computer program recited in claim 20, further comprising buffering the additional at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

22. The computer program recited in claim 19, wherein the any point in time includes an event.

23. The computer program recited in claim 19, further comprising generating a historical view of the restored data to present to a user in response to the request for the data to be restored to any point in time.

24. The computer program recited in claim 23, further comprising allowing a user to generate at least one additional data block utilizing the historical view.

25. The computer program recited in claim 24, further comprising buffering the at least one additional data block while the data is restored to the any point in time within the storage medium.

26. The computer program recited in claim 25, further comprising mapping the at least one additional data block with a branching data structure.

27. The computer program recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more data blocks may comprise various sizes of data.