Optimized index usage for data restore

• US 8,935,215 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharma, Mukesh Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIS, AMANDA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US13/097,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 707/679, 707/647, 707/654, 707/646, 707/638, 707/639, 707/645, 707/649
• US Class Current: 707/674
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof

Abstract

Various systems and methods for restoring data using indexes. For example, one method involves receiving a request that includes a restore criterion. The method involves identifying a storage object in a backup storage device that meets the restore criterion, in response to the request. Detecting the identity of the storage object involves sending a query with the restore criterion to a client computing device that includes an index. The method also involves responding to the request with information identifying the storage object.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a first computing device at a backup storage device,

wherein

the request comprises a restore criterion;

transmitting a query from the backup storage device to at least one client computing device of a plurality of client computing devices in response to the receiving the request, wherein

each client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices comprises a respective index of a respective plurality of storage objects indexed by the each client computing device;

receiving a reply to the query, wherein

the reply is received by the backup storage device from the at least one client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices, and

the reply comprises information identifying at least one storage object stored in the at least one client computing device that satisfies the restore criterion;

identifying whether a backup copy of the at least one storage object is stored in the backup storage device; and

transmitting

information to the first computing device, wherein the information identifies the backup copy of the at least one storage object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the restore criterion comprises a portion of content included in the at least one storage object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the information identifies a plurality of backup copies of the at least one storage object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the at least one client computing device from the plurality of client computing devices based on a characteristic of the client computing device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising

sending the query to the each client computing device of the at least one client computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the backup copy of the at least one storage object;

copying data from the backup copy of the at least one storage object in response to the receiving the selection.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing metadata associated with the at least one storage object with metadata associated with the at least one client computing device, wherein

the metadata associated with the at least one storage object indicates when the backup copy of the at least one storage object was created.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable to:

receive a request from a first computing device at a backup storage device, wherein

the request comprises a restore criterion;

transmit a query from the backup storage device to at least one client computing device of a plurality of client computing devices in response to receiving the request, wherein

each client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices comprises a respective index of a respective plurality of storage objects indexed by the each client computing device;

receive a reply to the query, wherein

the reply is received by the backup storage device from the at least one client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices, and

the reply comprises information identifying at least one storage object stored in the at least one client computing device that satisfies the restore criterion;

identify whether a backup copy of the at least one storage object is stored in the backup storage device; and

transmit

information to the first computing device, wherein the information identifies the backup copy of the at least one storage object.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein

the restore criterion comprises a portion of content included in the at least one storage object.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein

the information identifies a plurality of backup copies of the at least one storage object.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

select the at least one client computing device from the plurality of client computing devices based on a characteristic of the at least one client computing device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

send the query to the each client computing device of the at least one client computing device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive a selection of the backup copy of the at least one storage object;

copy data from the backup copy of the at least one storage object in response to receiving the selection.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

compare metadata associated with the backup copy of the at least one storage object with metadata associated with the at least one client computing device, wherein

the metadata associated with the backup copy of the at least one storage object indicates when the backup copy of the at least one storage object was created.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the one or more processors to;

receive a request from a first computing device at a backup storage device, wherein

the request comprises a restore criterion;

transmit a query from the backup storage device to at least one client computing device of a plurality of client computing devices in response to receiving the request, wherein

each client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices comprises a respective index of a respective plurality of storage objects indexed by the each client computing device;

receive a reply to the query, wherein

the reply is received by the backup storage device from the at least one client computing device of the plurality of client computing devices, and

the reply comprises information identifying at least one storage object stored in the at least one client computing device that satisfies the restore criterion;

identify whether a backup copy of the at least one storage object is stored in the backup storage device; and

transmit

information to the first computing device, wherein

the information identifies the backup copy of the at least one storage object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein

the restore criterion comprises a portion of content included in the at least one storage object.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein

the information identifies a plurality of backup copies of the at least one storage object.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

select the at least one client computing device from the plurality of client computing devices based on a characteristic of the at least one client computing device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive a selection of the backup copy of the at least one storage object;

copy data from the backup copy of the at least one storage object in response to receiving the selection.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

compare metadata associated with the backup copy of the at least one storage object with metadata associated with the at least one client computing device, wherein

the metadata associated with the backup copy of the at least one storage object indicates when the backup copy of the at least one storage object was created.