Techniques for granular recovery of data from local and remote storage

• US 7,885,938 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Dickinson, Derek D., Greene, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US12/038,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 707/674, 707/686, 707/999.202, 707/726, 707/800
• US Class Current: 707/674
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques

Abstract

Techniques for granular recovery of data from local and remote storage are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for recovery of data from local and remote storage comprising determining a recovery location, determining a location of backup data, hard linking one or more portions of the backup data to the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be hard linked are determined to be on a volume of the recovery location, virtually linking one or more portions of the backup data to the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be virtually linked are determined to be on a volume different from the volume of the recovery location, and performing recovery utilizing one or more portions of recovery data.

Claims

1. A method for recovery of data from local and remote storage comprising:

determining a recovery location;

determining a location of backup data;

hard linking one or more portions of the backup data to the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be hard linked are determined to be on a volume of the recovery location, wherein hard linking does not require copying the backup data;

virtually linking one or more portions of the backup data to the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be virtually linked are determined to be on a volume different from the volume of the recovery location, wherein virtually linking does not require copying the backup data; and

performing recovery utilizing one or more portions of recovery data, wherein one or more portions of the backup data located on a file system not supporting linking are copied to the recovery location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a recovery location is based at least in part on at least one of:

support of a file system of a potential recovery location for virtual linking, support of a file system of a potential recovery location for hard linking, presence of a last data backup portion on a potential recovery location, quantity of backup portions on a potential recovery location, size of one or more portions of backup data on a potential recovery location, and available resources of a potential recovery location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a recovery location includes analyzing one or more factors to minimize recovery time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining a location of one or more portions of the backup data prior to backup by analyzing one or more factors to minimize recovery time.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein available resources of a potential recovery location comprise at least one of:

processing capability associated with the storage, available free space on the storage, storage access time, and file system permissions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting up a temporary staging area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the backup data comprise one or more log files.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing recovery comprises generating a new data file and generating a recovery file.

9. At least one processor readable carrier for storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

10. An article of manufacture for recovery of data from local and remote storage, the article of manufacture comprising:

at least one non-transitory processor readable storage medium; and

instructions carried on the at least one storage medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the at least one storage medium by at least one processor and thereby cause the at least one processor to operate so as to;

determine a recovery location;

determine a location of backup data;

hard link one or more portions of the backup data into the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be hard linked are determined to be on a volume of the recovery location, wherein hard linking does not require copying the backup data;

virtually link one or more portions of the backup data into the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be virtually linked are determined to be on a volume different from the volume of the recovery location, wherein virtually linking does not require copying the backup data; and

perform recovery utilizing one or more portions of recovery data, wherein one or more portions of the backup data located on a file system not supporting linking are copied to the recovery location.

11. A system for recovery of data from local and remote storage comprising:

one or more processors communicatively coupled to a server;

wherein the server is configured to;

determine a recovery location;

determine a location of backup data;

hard link one or more portions of the backup data into the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be hard linked are determined to be on a volume of the recovery location, wherein hard linking does not require copying the backup data;

virtually link one or more portions of the backup data into the recovery location in the event that the one or more portions of the backup data to be virtually linked are determined to be on a volume different from the volume of the recovery location, wherein virtually linking does not require copying the backup data; and

perform recovery utilizing one or more portions of recovery data, wherein one or more portions of the backup data located on a file system not supporting linking are copied to the recovery location.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the determination of a recovery location is based at least in part on at least one of:

support of a file system of a potential recovery location for virtual linking, support of a file system of a potential recovery location for hard linking, presence of a last data backup portion on a potential recovery location, quantity of backup portions on a potential recovery location, size of one or more portions of backup data on a potential recovery location, and available resources of a potential recovery location.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining a recovery location includes analyzing one or more factors to minimize recovery time.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the server is further configured to:

determine a location of the one or more portions of backup data prior to backup by analyzing one or more factors to minimize recovery time.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein available resources of a potential recovery location comprise at least one of:

processing capability associated with the storage, available storage, storage access time, and file system permissions.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is further configured to:

set up a temporary staging area.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more portions of the backup data comprise one or more log files.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein performing recovery comprises generating a new data file and generating a recovery file.