Password protection for file backups
First Claim
1. A computer-readable memory medium storing program instructions for backing up and restoring a file split into a plurality of segments, wherein the program instructions are executable to:
- create first authentication information on a client computer based on input received from a first user during an installation of backup client software on the client computer;
store the first authentication information on one or more backup server computers of a plurality of backup server computers;
in response to an automatic request from the backup client software on the client computer to backup said file;
at each respective backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers;
receive a respective subset of the plurality of segments of the file; and
store each segment of the respective subset for backup storage;
at one or more backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers, automatically store information that associates the file with the first authentication information and indicates that the first authentication information is required to restore the file;
in response to a request from a second user to restore the file at a particular backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers;
access said information in order to determine whether the file has associated authentication information;
in response to determining said stored information indicates the first authentication information is required to restore the file;
prompt the second user to provide second authentication information;
receive the second authentication information;
in response to determining that the second authentication information matches the first authentication information, communicate with each of the other backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers in order to retrieve each respective segment of the file and return the respective segment to the client computer;
in response to determining that the second authentication information does not match the first authentication information, deny restoration of the file by the second user.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of a system and method for performing file backup operations are described. The method may operate to enable a user of a computer system to provide a password or other authentication information to associate with files on the computer system, e.g., in order to protect files that are backed up. For example, when the user (or another person or software agent) attempts to restore or otherwise access a backup copy of a password-protected file, the user may be prompted to enter the password. The method may operate to verify that the entered password matches the password associated with the file before granting permission to restore the file.
56 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-readable memory medium storing program instructions for backing up and restoring a file split into a plurality of segments, wherein the program instructions are executable to:
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create first authentication information on a client computer based on input received from a first user during an installation of backup client software on the client computer; store the first authentication information on one or more backup server computers of a plurality of backup server computers; in response to an automatic request from the backup client software on the client computer to backup said file; at each respective backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers; receive a respective subset of the plurality of segments of the file; and store each segment of the respective subset for backup storage; at one or more backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers, automatically store information that associates the file with the first authentication information and indicates that the first authentication information is required to restore the file; in response to a request from a second user to restore the file at a particular backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers; access said information in order to determine whether the file has associated authentication information; in response to determining said stored information indicates the first authentication information is required to restore the file; prompt the second user to provide second authentication information; receive the second authentication information; in response to determining that the second authentication information matches the first authentication information, communicate with each of the other backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers in order to retrieve each respective segment of the file and return the respective segment to the client computer; in response to determining that the second authentication information does not match the first authentication information, deny restoration of the file by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-implemented method for backing up and restoring a file split into a plurality of segments, the method comprising:
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creating first authentication information on a client computer based on input received from a first user during an installation of backup client software on the client computer; storing the first authentication information on one or more backup server computers of a plurality of backup server computers; in response to an automatic request from the backup client software on the client computer to backup said file; at each respective backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers; receiving a respective subset of the plurality of segments of the file; and storing each segment of the respective subset for backup storage; at one or more backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers, automatically storing information that associates the file with the first authentication information and indicates that the first authentication information is required to restore the file; in response to a request from a second user to restore the file at a particular backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers; accessing said information in order to determine whether the file has associated authentication information; in response to determining said stored information indicates the first authentication information is required to restore the file; prompting the second user to provide second authentication information; receiving the second authentication information; in response to determining that the second authentication information matches the first authentication information, communicating with each of the other backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers in order to retrieve each respective segment of the file and return the respective segment to the client computer; in response to determining that the second authentication information does not match the first authentication information, deny restoration of the file by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for backing up and restoring a file split into a plurality of segments, the system comprising:
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a plurality of backup server computers, wherein each backup server computer includes one or more processors and memory storing program instructions; a client computer system coupled to the plurality of backup server computers configured to; create first authentication information on the client computer based on input received from a first user during an installation of backup client software on the client computer; and store the first authentication information on one or more backup server computers of a plurality of backup server computers; wherein in response to an automatic request from the backup client software on the client computer to backup said file; each respective backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers is configured to receive a respective subset of the plurality of segments of the file and store each segment of the respective subset for backup storage; one or more backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers are configured to automatically store information that associates the file with the first authentication information and indicates that the first authentication information is required to restore the file; wherein in response to a request from a second user of to restore the file at a particular backup server computer of the plurality of backup server computers, the particular backup server is configured to; access said information in order to determine whether the file has associated authentication information; in response to determining said stored information indicates the first authentication information is required to restore the file; prompt the second user to provide second authentication information; receive second authentication information; in response to determining that the second authentication information matches the first authentication information, communicate with each of the other backup server computers of the plurality of backup server computers in order to retrieve each respective segment of the file and return the respective segment to the client computer; in response to determining that the second authentication information does not match the first authentication information, deny restoration of the file by the second user.
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Specification