Disaster recovery appliance

• US 8,307,239 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maxsp Corporation
• Inventors: Keith, Jr., Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US11/977,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 714 5- 7, 714/3, 714/2, 714/4, 714 11- 13, 714 15- 16, 714/5.1, 714/5.11, 714/6.3, 714/6.32, 714/4.1, 714/4.11, 714/4.12, 714/4.3, 714/4.4
• US Class Current: 714/4.11
• 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 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2023 Failover techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/203 using migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual

Abstract

A disaster recovery appliance is described herein. The disaster recovery appliance is coupled to one or more servers. The disaster recovery appliance continuously receives backup data for each of the one or more servers. When a server fails, the disaster recovery appliance, replaces the failed server. While the failed server is inaccessible, the disaster recovery appliance is able to mimic the functionality of the failed server. In some embodiments, the disaster recovery appliance is able to act as a server in addition to a backup device for the other servers.

Claims

1. A system for providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. one or more servers; and

b. a computing device coupled to the one or more servers, wherein the same computing device both backs up data from the one or more servers and replaces a failed server of the one or more servers such that the computing device performs the functions of the failed server, wherein the computing device further detects a condition indicating that one of the one or more servers is about to fail.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device replaces the failed server upon detecting the condition indicating that one of the one or more servers is about to fail.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is a server and a backup device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device uses a continuous backup scheme to back up the data.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device stores a system image of each of the one or more servers.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device is coupled to the one or more servers over a network.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a storage server coupled between the one or more servers and the computing device for backing up data.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the computing device continues backing up data from active servers of the one or more servers after the failed server fails.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a standby computing device coupled to the computing device to temporarily replace the failed server.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a virtual server generated by the computing device to temporarily replace the failed server.

11. A method of providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. backing up data from one or more servers to a computing device;

b. detecting a condition indicating that one of the one or more servers is about to fail; and

c. serving the data utilizing the same computing device when the condition is detected such that the computing device performs the functions of the failed server.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein backing up data includes storing an image of the one or more servers.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising continuing to back up the data from active servers of the one or more servers on the computing device after the failure of the failed server.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the computing device backs up the data using a continuous backup scheme.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the computing device is a server and a backup device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the computing device is coupled to the one or more servers over a network.

17. A method of providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. backing up data from one or more servers to a computing device;

b. detecting when one or more of the one or more servers is about to fail; and

c. utilizing the same computing device to temporarily replace a failed server of the one or more servers when the failed server fails.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein backing up data includes storing an image of the one or more servers.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the computing device backs up the data using a continuous backup scheme.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising generating a virtual server with the computing device to temporarily replace a failed second server if the computing device is unavailable.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising initializing the computing device into server mode to serve the data for a failed second server if the standby computing device is unavailable such that the computing device performs the functions of the failed second server.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 further comprising continuing to back up data from the active servers of the one or more servers on the computing device after the failure of the failed second server.

23. An apparatus for providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. a storage component resident on a single computing device;

b. a data backup application stored on the storage component for backing up data received from one or more servers;

c. a data restore application stored on the storage component for restoring the data received from the one or more servers; and

d. a server application stored on the storage component for serving the data received from a failed server of the one or more servers such that the storage component performs the functions of the failed server.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data received comprises a server image.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data backup application and the data restore application continue executing while the server application is executing.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data backup application and the data restore application stop executing when the server application is executing.

27. A system for providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. one or more servers;

b. a first computing device coupled to the one or more servers, wherein the first computing device backs up data from the one or more servers and also replaces a failed server of the one or more servers such that the first computing device performs the functions of the failed server; and

c. a second computing device coupled to the one or more servers and the first computing device, wherein the second computing device is coupled after failure of the failed server, further wherein the second computing device backs up data from the one or more servers and the first computing device.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the first computing device copies the data to the second computing device.

29. The system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the second computing device is configured to replace a second failed server of the one or more servers and the first computing device.

30. A system for providing network stability and data reliability, comprising:

a. one or more servers; and

b. a computing device coupled to the one or more servers, wherein the computing device backs up data from the one or more servers and also replaces each of one or more failed servers of the one or more servers with a standby server or a virtual server such that the standby servers and or the virtual servers perform the functions of each of the failed servers;

wherein when one or more additional servers of the one or more servers fail and there are no standby servers or virtual servers available to replace the failed additional servers, the computing device replaces the additional failed servers such that the computing device performs functions of the failed additional servers.