Probe based backup

• US 8,972,352 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Protasov, Lena, Roche, Michael, Kundzich, Olga, Zak, Dorota
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US13/233,920
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 707/640
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50

Abstract

A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for efficiently backing up information are disclosed. In some embodiments, this may comprise determining a probe frequency, polling, at the probe frequency, at least one probe to obtain information about a computer system, and backing up data based on the information. In some embodiments, determining the probe frequency includes receiving a user-defined interval.

Claims

1. A method for backing up data, comprising:

providing a probe, the probe detecting changes in a host;

receiving information about a load of a backup server;

determining a probe frequency, wherein the probe frequency defines how often the probe should be polled, wherein determining the probe frequency includes adjusting the probe frequency based on the load of the backup server;

waking the probe at the probe frequency;

polling the probe to obtain information about the host for a time interval, wherein the probe sleeps for the probe frequency after the time interval;

adjusting the probe frequency based on information obtained by polling the at least one probe wherein adjusting the probe frequency includes reducing the probe frequency based on a negative result from polling the at least one probe and applying a scaling factor to reduce the probe frequency to reduce utilization of the backup system; and

backing up data based on the information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the probe frequency includes receiving a user-defined interval.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the probe frequency includes selecting the probe frequency based on information obtained by polling the at least one probe.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the probe frequency includes selecting the probe frequency based on a priority of the data.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the probe frequency includes selecting the probe frequency based on a classification of the data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein adjusting the probe frequency includes increasing the probe frequency based on a positive result from polling the at least one probe.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving information about network utilization, and wherein determining the probe frequency includes adjusting the probe frequency based on the network utilization.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein adjusting the probe frequencies includes increasing probe frequency if the information obtained by polling indicates a positive result, and reducing probe frequency if the information obtained by polling indicates a negative result.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a second probe frequency, and polling a second probe at the second probe frequency.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising adjusting the probe frequencies based on information obtained by polling respective probes, and polling the respective probes at the adjusted probe frequencies.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein polling the at least one probe includes polling a first probe group at the probe frequency.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising determining a second probe frequency, and polling a second probe group at the second probe frequency.

13. A system for backing up data from a client computer system having at least one associated probe, comprising a processor configured to:

provide a probe, the probe detecting changes in a host;

receive information about a load of a backup server;

determine a probe frequency, wherein the probe frequency defines how often the probe should be polled, wherein determining the probe frequency includes adjusting the probe frequency based on the load of the backup server;

wake the probe at the probe frequency;

poll the probe to obtain information about the host for a time interval, wherein the probe sleeps for the probe frequency after the time interval;

adjust the probe frequency based on information obtained by polling the at least one probe wherein adjusting the probe frequency includes reducing the probe frequency based on a negative result from polling the at least one probe and applying a scaling factor to reduce the probe frequency to reduce utilization of the backup system; and

back up data based on the information.

14. A computer program product for backing up data, comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions embodied therein for:

providing a probe, the probe detecting changes in a host;

receiving information about a load of a backup server;

determining a probe frequency, wherein the probe frequency defines how often the probe should be polled, wherein determining the probe frequency includes adjusting the probe frequency based on the load of the backup server;

waking the probe at the probe frequency;

polling the probe to obtain information about the host for a time interval, wherein the probe sleeps for the probe frequency after the time interval;

adjusting the probe frequency based on information obtained by polling the at least one probe wherein adjusting the probe frequency includes reducing the probe frequency based on a negative result from polling the at least one probe and applying a scaling factor to reduce the probe frequency to reduce utilization of the backup system; and

backing up data based on the information.