Data backup devices and methods for backing up data

• US 7,818,160 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Storage Appliance Corp.
• Original Assignee: Storage Appliance Corp.
• Inventors: Brunet, Jeffrey, Collins, Ian, Li, Eric, Chowdhary, Yousuf
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Kamini
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAVAN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/506,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 703 24- 28, 710/5, 710/62, 710/313
• US Class Current: 703/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0677 Optical disk device, e.g. CD-ROM, DVD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A data backup system comprises an emulation component and a storage device having logical storage areas. The emulation component is configured to represent a first logical storage area of the storage device, such as a solid state memory or a disk drive partition, as if it were an auto-launch device. Accordingly, a data source, such as a personal computer, will interact with the first logical storage area as if it were the auto-launch device. As some operating systems are configured to recognize auto-launch devices upon connection and automatically execute applications stored thereon, merely connecting the data backup system to a data source running such an operating system can cause a backup application stored by the first logical storage area to automatically execute on the data source to selectively back up data to a second logical storage area of the storage device.

Claims

1. A data backup system comprising:

a communication interface;

a first storage device including a writable data storage medium comprising first and second logical storage areas and wherein a data backup application is stored in the first logical storage area; and

an emulation component in communication between the first storage device and the communication interface and comprising logic configured to;

represent the first logical storage area as an auto-launch device type;

represent the second logical storage area as a second storage device type including a writable data storage medium;

receive auto-launch device type commands from the communication interface, translate the auto-launch device type commands to first storage device type commands, and send the first storage device type commands to the first logical storage area;

receive first storage device type responses from the first logical storage area, translate the first storage device type responses into auto-launch device type responses, and send the auto-launch device type responses to the communication interface;

receive second storage device type commands from the communication interface and send the second storage device type commands to the second logical storage area; and

receive second storage device type responses from the second logical storage area, and send the second storage device type responses to the communication interface.

2. The data backup system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface comprises a USB communication interface.

3. The data backup system of claim 1 wherein the communication interface comprises a FireWire communication interface.

4. The data backup system of claim 1 wherein the first storage device comprises a HDD.

5. The data backup system of claim 4 wherein the first and second logical storage areas comprise first and second partitions.

6. The data backup system of claim 5 wherein the logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as the auto-launch device type represents the first partition as a CD drive.

7. The data backup system of claim 5 wherein the logic configured to represent the first logical storage area as the auto-launch device type represents the first partition as a DVD drive.

8. The data backup system of claim 1 wherein the first storage device comprises solid-state memory.

9. The data backup system of claim 8 wherein the solid state memory comprises an SD memory card.

10. The data backup system of claim 8 wherein the solid-state memory comprises a CF memory card.

11. The data backup system of claim 1 wherein the first storage device comprises an optical device.

12. The data backup system of claim 11 wherein the optical device comprises a CD drive.

13. The data backup system of claim 12 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a CD-R.

14. The data backup system of claim 12 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a CD-RW.

15. The data backup system of claim 11 wherein the optical device comprises a DVD drive.

16. The data backup system of claim 15 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD+R.

17. The data backup system of claim 15 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD-R.

18. The data backup system of claim 15 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD+RW.

19. The data backup system of claim 15 wherein the writable data storage medium comprises a DVD-RW.