Staged, lightweight backup system

• US 7,788,234 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Paul, DePue, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Uyen T.
• Application Number:
  US11/844,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/681
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques

Abstract

A restore system may perform a two staged restore operation. The first operation may restore system state and basic operational data to a system sufficient that the system may begin performing a set of basic operations. The second operation may restore secondary data over a period of time while the system is at least partially operational. The system state and basic operational data may be identified and backed up in a separate operation than the secondary data, or may be extracted from a backup volume of the system. The system state restore may be performed by installing a base set of data or applications and injecting specific system state information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a data storage system to backup;

identifying a plurality of functions, each of said plurality of functions having a system state;

backing up said data storage system by a method comprising writing backup data to a data storage device;

performing a restore of said data storage system by a method comprising;

configuring a base configuration of said data storage system;

injecting a system state onto said base configuration;

operating said data storage system using said system state;

while said system is operating using said system state, restoring said backup data to said system.

2. The method of claim 1, said system state being determined prior to creating said backup data.

3. The method of claim 1, said system state being stored separately from said backup data.

4. The method of claim 3, said system state being derived from said backup data.

5. The method of claim 3, said identifying a plurality of functions being performed after said backing up.

6. The method of claim 1, said system state being determined after creating said backup data.

7. The method of claim 1, said plurality of functions comprising at least one of a group composed of:

network functions;

email application functions;

domain name service functions;

dynamic host configuration protocol functions;

remote access functions;

virtual private network functions;

web hosting functions; and

firewall functions.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A system comprising:

a data storage system;

a backup system configured to identify data to backup and backup said data to a backup storage system; and

a restore system configured to;

identify a plurality of functions, each of said plurality of functions having a system state;

configure a base configuration of said system on said data storage system;

inject said system state onto said base configuration;

operate said system from said data storage system using said system state;

while said system is operating using said system state, restore said backup data to said system on said data storage system.

10. The system of claim 9, said system state being determined prior to creating said backup data.

11. The system of claim 9, said system state being stored separately from said backup data.

12. The system of claim 9, said system state being determined after creating said backup data.

13. The system of claim 12, said system state being derived from said backup data.

14. The system of claim 12, said identifying a plurality of functions being performed after said backup said data to a backup storage system.

15. The system of claim 9, said plurality of functions comprising at least one of a group composed of:

network functions;

email application functions;

domain name service functions;

dynamic host configuration protocol functions;

remote access functions;

virtual private network functions;

web hosting functions; and

firewall functions.

16. A method comprising:

identifying a set of functions operable on a system;

storing a system state for said set of functions;

storing backup data for said system;

restoring said system by a method comprising;

restoring said set of functions to said system;

configuring said set of functions using said system state;

beginning operation of said set of functions;

while said set of functions are operating, restoring said backup data to said system.

17. The method of claim 16, said set of functions comprising at least one of a group composed of:

network functions;

email application functions;

domain name service functions;

dynamic host configuration protocol functions;

remote access functions;

virtual private network functions;

web hosting functions; and

firewall functions.

18. The method of claim 16, said system state and said backup data being stored on a common data storage system.

19. The method of claim 16, said system state comprising security state identifiers.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 16.