Extensible method for obtaining an historical record of data backup activity (and errors) and converting same into a canonical format

• US 7,457,833 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bocada LLC
• Original Assignee: Bocada Incorporated
• Inventors: Scanlan, Liam, Bear, Cory
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Application Number:
  US10/625,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/200, 707/202, 707/204, 707/205, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

An extensible method and system for obtaining an historical record of data backup activity (and errors) from a plurality of data backup software devices, and converting the same into a canonical format, is disclosed. In the first aspect, a method comprises the steps of providing a late-binding mechanism that provides the invention with extensibility so that it can be made to inter-operate with an arbitrary variety of backup software devices. In the second aspect, an interface for requesting and returning a canonical backup activity log is disclosed. In the third aspect, an interface for requesting and returning a canonical backup error log is disclosed. In the fourth aspect, the use of a canonical format enables the data to be cross-referenced, consolidated and compared.

Claims

1. An automatic refresh request generation system for a data backup system, the system comprising:

a computer network with data backup activity performed by a plurality of data backup products wherein each data backup product generates records relating to the data backup activity; and

a host computer connected to the computer network that executes a canonical backup device, wherein the canonical backup device comprising a backup engine plug-in obtains records of data backup activity from each data backup product and a refresh request unit that operates in the background of the host computer, wherein the refresh request unit comprising a timer that determines if the hour of the current day has changed, means for checking an automatic request determiner to determine if a refresh request for the particular server is automatically initiated and means for initiating a refresh request if the refresh request has been initiated.

2. A system for inserting records from one or more data backup products into a canonical database, comprising:

a computer network with data backup activity performed by a plurality of data backup products wherein each data backup product generates records relating to the data backup activity; and

a host computer, having a processor and a memory, connected to the computer network that executes a canonical backup device, wherein the canonical backup device comprising a backup engine plug-in obtains records of data backup activity from each data backup product and a database insertion unit that inserts the data from each record of a data backup product into a canonical database, wherein the database insertion unit comprising means for inserting data from the record into a data backup portion, means for inserting data from the record into a backup client portion, means for inserting data from the record into a backup target portion, means for inserting data from the record into a backup device name portion and means for inserting data from the record into a backup level portion.

3. A method for inserting records from one or more data backup products into a canonical database, each data backup product connected to a computer network and each data backup product generating records relating to the data backup activity for the data backup product, the method comprising:

obtaining records of data backup activity from each data backup product; and

inserting the data from each record of a data backup product into a canonical database and a database insertion, wherein the database insertion comprising inserting data from the record into a data backup portion, inserting data from the record into a backup client portion, inserting data from the record into a backup target portion, inserting data from the record into a backup device name portion and inserting data from the record into a backup level portion.