Migratable backup and restore

• US 7,797,278 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Katoh, Hiroshi, Miyamori, Hirokazu, Watanabe, Kei, Yamakoshi, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoffler; Raheem
• Application Number:
  US10/861,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

A backup system for backing up target data stored in an information processing device comprises a backup program stor for retaining a backup program, a read authentication information stor for retaining read authentication information, a backup function sender which transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the device, and a data stor which retains the target data to be transferred to the backup system by the device which has executed the backup program, wherein the backup program is invoke-able on the device by a user of the device, and comprises a read authentication mechanism for obtaining permission to read the target data from the device by causing the read authentication information to be authenticated, and a transfer mechanism for causing the device to read the target data and transfer the target data to the backup system.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions for a backup system, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of an information processing device to execute the backup system, the backup system comprising:

a backup program storing section that retains a backup program that transfers target data of the information processing device to the backup system when executed on the information processing device;

a read authentication information storing section that retains an authentication information file that associates a device ID identifying each of a plurality of information processing devices permitting the backup program to read the target data stored therein;

a backup function sender that is in communication with the backup program storing section and the read authentication information storing section and that transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the information processing device;

an invocation instructor that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the backup program when the target data is not transferred to the backup system from the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device; and

a backup data storing section that is accessible to the backup program and that retains the target data to be transferred to the backup system by the information processing device that has executed the backup program;

wherein the computer executable instructions include;

read authentication code that causes the processor of the information processor to obtain permission to read the target data from the information processing device by authenticating that the read authentication information sent to the information processing device is associated with one of a plurality of the device IDS contained in the authentication information file which matches a device ID set for that information processing device; and

transfer code that causes the processor of the information processor to read the target data permitted to be read and transfer the target data to the backup system.

2. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the backup function sender transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the information processing device as an archive file in an executable form that is expanded to the backup program and the read authentication information to execute the backup program when executed on the information processing device.

3. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the backup function sender includes:

a backup program sending section that sends the backup program to the information processing device; and

an authentication information sending section that sends the read authentication information to the backup program in response to a request from the backup program invoked on the information processing device.

4. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the backup function sender transfers the backup program and the authentication information file to each of the plurality of information processing devices, the transfer code executed in each of the plurality of information processing devices causes that information processing device to read the target data permitted to be read and transfer the target data to the backup system, and the backup data storing section retains the target data transferred to the back-up system by each of the plurality of information processing devices having executed the backup program.

5. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the read authentication information storing section further retains backup destination authentication information that causes the backup data storing section to permit the target data to be stored, the backup function sender transfers the backup program, the read authentication information, and the backup destination authentication information to the information processing device, and the backup program further has backup destination authentication means for causing the backup data storing section to authenticate the backup destination authentication information sent to the information processing device so as to obtain permission to store the target data in the backup data storing section.

6. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the backup function sender transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to a plurality of information processing devices, the backup data storing section retains the target data to be transferred to the backup system by the respective information processing devices that have executed the backup program, and the backup system further comprises a completion notifier which informs an administrator of the backup system that the target data has been completely backed up for all of the plurality of information processing devices when the backup data storing section has stored all the target data to be transferred to the backup system by each of the plurality of information processing devices.

7. The backup system according to claim 1 wherein the backup function sender transfers the backup program and the authentication information to the information processing device again if the target data is not transferred to the backup system from the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device.

8. The backup system according to claim 1, wherein the backup data storing section retains the target data that the information processing device transferred to the backup system, in association with a device ID set for the information processing device, and the backup system further comprises a target data sender that sends, upon receiving a device ID from another information processing device for which the same device ID as that for the information processing device has been set, the target data stored in association with the device ID to the another information processing device to cause the another information processing device to store the target data.

9. The backup system according to claim 8, wherein the backup program further includes update code for causing, if the target data is updated on the information processing device after being transferred by the transfer code to the backup system, the information processing device to read updated data that is an updated portion of the target data and to transfer the updated data to the backup system, the backup data storing section further retains the updated data in association with the device ID, and the backup system further comprises an updated data sending section for further sending, upon receiving the device ID from the another information processing device replacing the information processing device storing the target data, the updated data stored in association with the device ID to the another information processing device to update the target data stored in the another information processing device.

10. A backup method comprising:

storing a backup program to be executed on an information processing device to transfer information-processing-device target data to a provided computer system;

storing a read authentication information file associating a device ID identifying each of a plurality of information processing devices permitting the backup program to read the target data stored therein;

a backup function sending step of sending the backup program and the read authentication information to the information processing device;

obtaining permission to read the target data from the information processing device by authenticating that the read authentication information sent to the information processing device is associated with one of a plurality of the device IDs contained in the authentication information file which matches a device ID set for that information processing device;

reading the target data permitted to be read and transferring the target data to the computer system;

communicating a message that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the backup program when the target data is not transferred to the backup system from the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device; and

storing the target data to be transferred to the computer system by the information processing device which has executed the backup program; and

wherein the backup function sending step transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the information processing device as an archive file in an executable form that is expanded to the backup program and the read authentication information to execute the backup program when executed on the information processing device.

13. The backup method according to claim 10, further comprising:

storing a restore program to be executed on an information processing device to cause the information processing device to store target data in the information processing device that is received from a computer system;

storing write authentication information for causing the information processing device to permit writing of the target data by the restore program;

sending the restore program and the write authentication information to the information processing device;

communicating a message that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the restore program when the target data is not received from the backup system by the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the restore function sender sent the restore program to the information processing device; and

sending the target data to the information processing device that has executed the restore program;

the restore program, when invoked on the information processing device by a user of the information processing device, being effective to;

obtain permission to write the target data in the information processing device by causing the information processing device to authenticate the write authentication information sent to the information processing device; and

causing the information processing device to store the target data received at said sending of target data.

11. A product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a backup program stored therein for backing up target data stored in an information processing device, wherein the backup program is sent from a managing device for managing the information processing device to the information processing device and invoked on the information processing device, the backup program including:

read authentication code that obtains permission to read the target data from the information processing device by authenticating that the read authentication information sent to the information processing device is associated with one of a plurality of the device IDs of each of a plurality of information processing devices permitting the backup program to read target data stored within;

communication code that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the backup program when the target data is not transferred to the backup system from the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device; and

transfer code that causes the information processing device to read the target data permitted to be read and transfers the target data to a storage device for storing the target data; and

wherein the managing device transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the information processing device as an archive file in an executable form that is expanded to the backup program and the read authentication information to execute the backup program when executed on the information processing device.

14. The product of claim 11, the computer readable storage medium further comprising a restore program stored therein for restoring target data in an information processing device, wherein the restore program is sent from a managing device for managing the information processing device to the information processing device and invoked on the information processing device, wherein the invocation is approvable by an administrator of the information processing device, the restore program including:

write authentication code for obtaining permission to write the target data in the information processing device by causing the information processing device to authenticate write authentication information sent from the managing device to the information processing device to cause the information processing device to permit writing of the target data by the restore program;

communication code that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the restore program when the target data is not received from the backup system by the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the restore function sender sent the restore program to the information processing device; and

target data storing code for causing the information processing device to store the target data received from a storage device storing the target data.

12. A restore system comprising:

a restore program storing section that retains a restore program to be executed on an information processing device to cause the information processing device to store target data received from the restore system;

a write authentication information storing section that retains write authentication information that causes the information processing device to permit writing of the target data by the restore program;

a restore function sender that is in communication with the restore program storing section and the write authentication information storing section and that transfers the restore program and the write authentication information to the information processing device;

an invocation instructor that communicates a message that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the restore program when the target data is not received from the backup system by the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the restore function sender sent the restore program to the information processing device; and

a target data sender that operates under the control of the restore program and that transfers the target data to the information processing device that has executed the restore program;

wherein the restore program includes;

write authentication code that obtains permission to write the target data in the information processing device by causing the information processing device to authenticate the write authentication information sent to the information processing device; and

target data storing code that causes the information processing device to store the target data received from the target data sender.

15. A computer readable storage medium encoded with computer executable instructions for a migration system, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a first information processing device to execute the migration system, comprising:

a backup program storing section that retains a backup program that transfers target data of the first information processing device to the migration system when executed on the information processing device;

a read authentication information storing section that retains an authentication information file that associates a device ID identifying each of a plurality of information processing devices permitting the backup program to read the target data stored therein;

a backup function sender that is coupled to the backup program storing section and the read authentication information storing section and that transfers the backup program and the read authentication information to the first information processing device;

a backup data storing section that is accessible to the backup program and that retains the target data to be transferred to the migration system by the first information processing device that has executed the backup program;

an invocation instructor that communicates a message that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the backup program when the target data is not transferred from the migration system to the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device; and

a target data sender that operates under the control of the backup program and that transfers the target data to another information processing device;

wherein the computer executable instructions include;

read authentication code that causes the processor of the first information processing device to obtain permission to read the target data by authenticating that the read authentication information sent to the information processing device is associated with one of a plurality of the device IDs contained in the authentication information file which matches a device ID set for that information processing device; and

transfer code that causes the first information processing device to read the target data permitted to be read and transfer the target data to the migration system.

16. A migration method for migrating target data stored in one information processing device to another information processing device by means of a computer system, the migration method comprising:

storing a backup program to be executed on the one information processing device to transfer the target data to the computer system;

storing read authentication information file that associates a device ID identifying each of a plurality of information processing devices permitting the backup program to read the target data stored therein;

sending the backup program and the read authentication information to the one information processing device;

storing the target data to be transferred to the computer system by the one information processing device that has executed the backup program;

communicating a message that instructs a user of the information processing device to invoke the backup program when the target data is not transferred from the migration system to the information processing device after a predetermined period has passed since the backup function sender sent the backup program to the information processing device; and

sending the target data to the another information processing device;

wherein the backup program is invoked on the one information processing device by a user of the one information processing device, and comprises;

read authentication code that obtains permission to read the target data from the one information processing device by authenticating that the read authentication information sent to the information processing device is associated with one of a plurality of the device IDs contained in the authentication information file which matches a device ID set for that information processing device; and

transfer code that causes the one information processing device to read the target data permitted to be read and transfers the target data to the computer system.