Systems and methods for enhancing virtual machine backup image data

• US 9,128,742 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Akolkar, Atul, Kumar, Prasoon
• Primary Examiner(s): KESSLER, GREGORY AARON
• Application Number:
  US12/950,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45562 Creating, deleting, cloning virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for enhancing virtual machine backup image data may include identifying a virtual machine to be stored as a backup image. The computer-implemented method may also include collecting configuration information that identifies at least one aspect of how the virtual machine is configured. The computer-implemented method may further include storing the backup image of the virtual machine in a backup repository. The computer-implemented method may additionally include associating the configuration information within the backup image in a catalog of virtual machine backup images, the catalog being searchable by the configuration information. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing virtual machine backup image data, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying a virtual machine to be stored as a backup image;

backing up the virtual machine by storing the backup image of the virtual machine in a backup repository;

while backing up the virtual machine, collecting configuration information that identifies at least one of;

virtual hardware of the virtual machine;

an original location of the virtual machine;

or

system software of the virtual machine,

the collecting configuration information comprising at least one of;

harvesting the configuration information from a profile of the virtual machine maintained by a host system of the virtual machine;

or

parsing an image of the virtual machine to identify the configuration information;

associating the configuration information with the backup image in a catalog of virtual machine backup images, the catalog being searchable by the configuration information;

maintaining the catalog of the virtual machine backup images such that the virtual machine backup images are accessible via configuration information searches.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying virtual hardware of the virtual machine.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the virtual hardware comprises at least one of:

a storage device type;

a storage device size;

a number of storage devices;

a type of processor;

a number of processors;

an amount of random-access memory;

a characteristic of a SCSI controller;

a characteristic of a network interface controller.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying an original location of the virtual machine.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein identifying the original location of the virtual machine comprises identifying at least one of:

a hypervisor monitoring the virtual machine;

a server hosting the virtual machine;

a resource pool including the virtual machine;

a data center including the virtual machine;

a virtual center managing the virtual machine.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

collecting the configuration information comprises harvesting the configuration information from the profile of the virtual machine.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein collecting the configuration information comprises parsing the image of the virtual machine to identify the configuration information.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify a virtual machine to be stored as a backup image;

back up the virtual machine by storing the backup image of the virtual machine in a backup repository;

while backing up the virtual machine, collect configuration information that identifies at least one of;

virtual hardware of the virtual machine;

an original location of the virtual machine;

or

system software of the virtual machine,

the collecting configuration information comprising at least one of;

harvesting the configuration information from a profile of the virtual machine maintained by a host system of the virtual machine;

or

parsing an image of the virtual machine to identify the configuration information;

associate the configuration information with the backup image in a catalog of virtual machine backup images, the catalog being searchable by the configuration information;

maintain the searchable catalog of the virtual machine backup images such that the virtual machine backup images are accessible via configuration information searches.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the computing device, cause the computing device to instantiate a new virtual machine based on the backup image of the virtual machine.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the computing device, cause the computing device to receive a search query directed to finding the virtual machine in the searchable catalog, the search query identifying the configuration information.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the computing device, cause the computing device to query the searchable catalog with the search query.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions, when executed by at least one processor of the computing device, cause the computing device to generate a report on virtual machines within the searchable catalog that match the configuration information identified by the search query.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying virtual hardware of the virtual machine.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the information identifying the virtual hardware comprises at least one of:

a storage device type;

a storage device size;

a number of storage devices;

a type of processor;

a number of processors;

an amount of random-access memory;

a characteristic of a SCSI controller;

a characteristic of a network interface controller.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying an original location of the virtual machine.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying at least one of:

a hypervisor monitoring the virtual machine;

a server hosting the virtual machine;

a resource pool including the virtual machine;

a data center including the virtual machine;

a virtual center managing the virtual machine.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying applications installed on the virtual machine.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying system software installed on the virtual machine.

19. A system for enhanced virtual backup image data, the system comprising:

a backup module programmed to;

identify a virtual machine to be stored as a backup image;

back up the virtual machine by storing the backup image of the virtual machine in a backup repository;

while backing up the virtual machine, collect configuration information that identifies at least one of;

virtual hardware of the virtual machine;

an original location of the virtual machine;

or

system software of the virtual machine,

the collecting configuration information comprising at least one of;

harvesting the configuration information from a profile of the virtual machine maintained by a host system of the virtual machine;

or

parsing the virtual machine to identify the configuration information;

associate the configuration information with the backup image in a catalog of virtual machine backup images, the catalog being searchable by the configuration information;

maintain the searchable catalog of the virtual machine backup images such that the virtual machine backup images are accessible via configuration information searches; and

at least one processor configured to execute the backup module.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the configuration information comprises information identifying virtual hardware of the virtual machine.