Techniques for recovery of application level objects

• US 8,266,112 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Beatty, Louis J., DeVos, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lodhi, Andalib
• Application Number:
  US11/960,309
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/202, 707/204, 707/674, 707/610, 707/640, 707/661, 707/678, 714/6, 714/14, 714/18
• US Class Current: 707/678
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques

Abstract

Techniques for recovery of application level objects are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for restoration of one or more application level objects. The method may comprise obtaining application metadata of an application containing objects to be restored, storing one or more data files containing application data, utilizing the application metadata to provide a user interface for the restoration of one or more application objects, accepting input from a user via the user interface specifying one or more application objects to restore, and restoring the one or more specified application objects.

Claims

1. A method for restoration of an application level object comprising:

obtaining application metadata of an application containing objects to be restored, wherein the application metadata provides application structure information facilitating access of application data;

storing at least one data file containing application data;

utilizing the application metadata to provide a user interface for restoring an application level object, wherein the user interface for restoring an application level object is configured to allow a user to navigate application level objects available for restoration by providing a graphical user interface allowing a user to drill down into one or more application data structures, wherein information about application level objects available for restoration within an application data structure is obtained using the application metadata;

accepting input from a user via the user interface specifying an application level object to restore, wherein the application level object comprises one or more portions of the at least one data file; and

restoring the specified application level object using the application metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein application metadata is obtained prior to storing the at least one data file containing application data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein application metadata is obtained prior to utilizing the application metadata for the restoration of an application level object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface for restoring an application level object further comprises at least one of:

a query capability, one or more filters for limiting available restoration objects presented to a user, hyperlinks, lists, menus, and buttons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the restoration of the specified application level object utilizes one or more methods native to the application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more native methods include at least one of:

an application programming interface, a stored procedure, an interface table, and a web service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining application metadata comprises obtaining information related to at least one of:

table structures, table ids, object ids, file names, file structures, indexes, class diagrams, interface requirements, and application programming interface requirements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein application metadata is obtained utilizing at least one of:

a file directory, a system table, a universal modeling language diagram, a data definition language file, schema data, an application programming interface, an interface definition, web service description language data, a service broker, an object request broker, and universal description discovery and integration.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing one or more files containing the application metadata.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the application metadata and the application data are stored in the same file.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein objects to be restored comprise at least one of:

a document, a list, an image file, an email, a posting, a web page, xml data, a sound file, and a video file.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium 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.

13. An article of manufacture for restoration of an application level object, the article of manufacture comprising:

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

instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

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

obtain application metadata of an application containing objects to be restored, wherein the application metadata provides application structure information facilitating access of application data;

store at least one data file containing application data;

utilize the application metadata to provide a user interface for the restoration of an application level object, wherein the user interface for restoring an application level object is configured to allow a user to navigate application level objects available for restoration by providing a graphical user interface allowing a user to drill down into one or more application data structures, wherein information about application level objects available for restoration within an application data structure is obtained using the application metadata;

accept input from a user via the user interface specifying an application level object to restore, wherein the application level object comprises one or more portions of the at least one data file; and

restore the specified application level object using application metadata.

14. A system for restoration of an application level object comprising:

one or more processors communicatively coupled to a server;

wherein the server is configured to;

obtain application metadata of an application containing objects to be restored, wherein the application metadata provides application structure information facilitating access of application data;

store at least one data file containing application data;

utilize the application metadata to provide a user interface for the restoration of an application level object, wherein the user interface for restoring an application level object is configured to allow a user to navigate application level objects available for restoration by providing a graphical user interface allowing a user to drill down into one or more application data structures, wherein information about application level objects available for restoration within an application data structure is obtained using the application metadata;

accept input from a user via the user interface specifying an application level object to restore, wherein the application level object comprises one or more portions of the at least one data file; and

restore the specified application level object.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured to obtain the application metadata prior to storing the at least one data file containing application data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured to obtain the application metadata prior to utilizing the application metadata for the restoration of an application level object.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface for restoring an application level object further comprises at least one of:

a query capability, one or more filters for limiting available restoration objects presented to a user, hyperlinks, lists, menus, and buttons.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured to restore the specified application level object by utilizing one or more methods native to the application.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the application metadata enables a server to restore the specified application level object by enabling the server to determine one or more portions of data necessary for the specified application level object.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the server is configured to obtain application metadata by obtaining information related to at least one of:

a table structure, a table id, an object id, a file name, a file structure, an index, a class diagram, an interface requirement, and an application programming interface requirement.