Data recovery systems and methods

• US 8,782,359 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lewis Rice and Fingersh (Lewis Rice LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lewis Rice and Fingersh (Lewis Rice LLC)
• Inventors: Obernuefemann, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THAN VINH
• Application Number:
  US13/564,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20120296874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 711/161, 711/162
• US Class Current: 711/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques

Abstract

Nearline disaster recovery (“nearline DR”) storage systems and methods that permit the use of previously restored stored data from a near time period by virtual applications operating off a backup storage location during the period of disaster recovery at a primary site. This is generally referred to as a “nearline DR storage process.”

Claims

1. A method for restoring business continuity in the event of a disaster that destroys data, the method comprising:

restoring a data set to native format prior to destroying of data at a first data site, the destroyed data being included in the restored data set;

activating a data recovery production environment;

loading said data recovery production environment onto one or more virtual application servers;

attaching said restored data set to said data recovery production environment;

making said restored data set live and available for use over said one or more virtual application servers and thereby restoring business continuity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said data recovery production environment can use a network server operating system chosen from the group consisting of:

VMWare, Novell and Microsoft Windows.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more virtual application servers can be used remotely.

4. A disaster recovery system, the system comprising:

a server;

a data storage facility co-located with said server;

a virtual application server co-located with said server and co-located with said data storage facility, said virtual application server comprising an operating system and a means for allowing remote access to said virtual application server; and

a network connecting said disaster recovery system to a plurality of remote sites, said network allowing for the transfer and receipt of data;

wherein said disaster recovery system receives a backup data set over said network from a remote site in said plurality of remote sites;

wherein said server restores said backup data set to a native format prior to destroying of data at said remote site in said plurality of remote sites, the destroyed data being included in said backup data set;

wherein after said backup data set is restored said virtual application server can attach to said backup data set.