Systems and methods for performing backup operations of virtual machine files
First Claim
1. A method for performing one or more storage operations in a virtual computing environment, the method comprising:
- receiving a request to back up a virtual machine having a guest operating system and being associated with a host server;
instructing a shadow copy process on the host server to quiesce write requests and to permit read requests of a virtual machine disk file by one or more applications executing on the virtual machine, the virtual machine disk file associated with the virtual machine and maintained in a datastore, the virtual machine disk file locked against access from outside the virtual machine;
unlocking the virtual machine disk file for read-only access by a backup process executing outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine;
unlocking the virtual machine disk file for read-write access by a hypervisor layer associated with the host server;
creating a hypervisor snapshot of the virtual machine disk file associated with the virtual machine;
following said creating the hypervisor snapshot, allowing write requests to resume by the one or more applications executing on the virtual machine;
recording, with the hypervisor snapshot, changes intended to be made to the virtual machine disk file based on said resumed write requests;
creating, via execution of the backup process, a backup copy of the virtual machine disk file without powering down the virtual machine, the backup copy of the virtual machine disk file being created from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine;
following said creating the backup copy, committing the changes recorded with the hypervisor snapshot to the virtual machine disk file;
determining whether the write requests of the one or more applications were successfully quiesced;
if the write requests were not successfully quiesced, aborting or restarting the backup process; and
if the write requests were successfully quiesced, locking the virtual machine disk file for normal access by the virtual machine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Backup systems and methods are disclosed for a virtual computing environment. Certain examples include a system having a backup management server that communicates with a host server having at least one virtual machine. The management server coordinates with the host server to perform backup copies of entire virtual machine disks from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine. In certain examples, such backup systems further utilize a volume shadow copy service executing on the host server to quiesce virtual machine applications to put data in a consistent state to be backed up. The backup system then utilizes hypervisor snapshot capabilities of the host server to record intended changes to the virtual machine disk files while such files are being copied (e.g., backed up) by the host server. Such recorded changes can be later committed to the virtual machine disk files once the backup operation has completed.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for performing one or more storage operations in a virtual computing environment, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to back up a virtual machine having a guest operating system and being associated with a host server; instructing a shadow copy process on the host server to quiesce write requests and to permit read requests of a virtual machine disk file by one or more applications executing on the virtual machine, the virtual machine disk file associated with the virtual machine and maintained in a datastore, the virtual machine disk file locked against access from outside the virtual machine; unlocking the virtual machine disk file for read-only access by a backup process executing outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine; unlocking the virtual machine disk file for read-write access by a hypervisor layer associated with the host server; creating a hypervisor snapshot of the virtual machine disk file associated with the virtual machine; following said creating the hypervisor snapshot, allowing write requests to resume by the one or more applications executing on the virtual machine; recording, with the hypervisor snapshot, changes intended to be made to the virtual machine disk file based on said resumed write requests; creating, via execution of the backup process, a backup copy of the virtual machine disk file without powering down the virtual machine, the backup copy of the virtual machine disk file being created from outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine; following said creating the backup copy, committing the changes recorded with the hypervisor snapshot to the virtual machine disk file; determining whether the write requests of the one or more applications were successfully quiesced; if the write requests were not successfully quiesced, aborting or restarting the backup process; and if the write requests were successfully quiesced, locking the virtual machine disk file for normal access by the virtual machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for performing storage operations in a virtualized computing environment, the system comprising:
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a host computer comprising a virtual machine having a guest operating system that accesses resources of the host computer through at least a hypervisor layer; a shadow copy module executing on the host computer, the shadow copy module being configured to quiesce write requests of one or more applications executing on the guest operating system of the virtual machine; and a management module in network communication with the host computer, the management module being configured to, receive a request to perform a backup copy of one or more virtual disk files of the virtual machine, the one or more virtual disk files locked against access from outside the virtual machine, instruct the shadow copy module to quiesce the write requests of the one or more applications, instruct the shadow copy module to permit read requests of the one or more applications, instruct the host computer to unlock the one or more virtual disk files for read-only access by a backup process executing outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine, instruct the host computer to unlock the one or more virtual disk files for read-write access by the hypervisor layer of the host computer, instruct the hypervisor layer of the host computer to create a snapshot file of the one or more virtual disk files of the virtual machine, the snapshot file being configured to record changes intended to the one or more virtual disk files during copying of the one or more virtual disk files, instruct the host computer to execute the backup process to create a backup copy of the one or more virtual disk files, instruct the host computer to commit to the one or more virtual disk files the changes recorded by the snapshot file during the creation of the backup copy and, thereafter, to allow write access to the one or more virtual disk files by the one or more applications executing on the guest operating system, instruct the shadow copy module to determine whether the write requests of the one or more applications were successfully quiesced, if the write requests were not successfully quiesced, instruct the backup process to abort or restart, and if the write requests were successfully quiesced, instruct the host computer to lock the one or more virtual disk files for normal access. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for performing storage operations in a virtualized computing environment, the system comprising:
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means for hosting a virtual machine having a guest operating system that accesses resources of the hosting means through at least a hypervisor layer; means for quiescing write requests of one or more applications executing on the guest operating system of the virtual machine; and means for managing a backup of one or more virtual disk files of the virtual machine, said managing means being further configured to, receive a request to perform a backup copy of one or more virtual disk files of the virtual machine, the one or more virtual disk files locked against access from outside the virtual machine, instruct said quiescing means to quiesce the write requests of the one or more applications, instruct said quiescing means to permit read requests of the one or more applications, instruct said hosting means to unlock the one or more virtual disk files for read-only access by a backup process executing outside the guest operating system of the virtual machine, instruct said hosting means to unlock the one or more virtual disk files for read-write access by the hypervisor layer of said hosting means, instruct the hypervisor layer of said hosting means to create a snapshot file of the one or more virtual disk files of the virtual machine, the snapshot file being configured to record changes intended to the one or more virtual disk files during copying of the one or more virtual disk files, instruct said hosting means to execute the backup process to create a backup copy of the one or more virtual disk files, instruct said hosting means to commit to the one or more virtual disk files the changes recorded by the snapshot file during the creation of the backup copy and, thereafter, to allow write access to the one or more virtual disk files by the one or more applications executing on the guest operating system instruct the quiescing means to determine whether the write requests of the one or more applications were successfully quiesced, if the write requests were not successfully quiesced, instruct the backup process to abort or restart, and if the write requests were successfully quiesced, instruct said hosting means to lock the one or more virtual disk files for normal access. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification