Tracking write operations for incremental backups of data
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for tracking write operations to perform incremental backups, the method comprising:
- accessing a driver of an operating system on a computer, the driver creating a snapshot volume of a physical volume of the computer;
applying a patch to the driver, the patch configured to replace an original write handler of the driver with a first alternate write handler, the first alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume being caused by invoking the first alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume maintaining a first active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume over a time interval;
accessing a second alternate write handler when an input-output manager of the operating system writes to the physical volume, the second alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume being caused by invoking the second alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume maintaining a second active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume over the time interval;
determining one or more files to be excluded from the incremental backup;
executing a delete operation on the snapshot volume to remove the one or more files from the snapshot, wherein the delete operation is handled by the first alternate write handler;
merging the first active bitmap with the second active bitmap to produce a master bitmap, so that the delete operation is reflected in the master bitmap; and
performing an incremental backup of the physical volume based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap to maintain consistent backup during continued execution of the operating system and without disruption to the write operations on the physical volume, wherein the one or more files are excluded from the incremental backup when the incremental backup is preformed based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap.
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Abstract
Approaches are described for tracking write operations in an operating system environment which can be used to perform incremental backups of data. In particular, the approaches described herein enable a driver to begin tracking write operations being performed on a volume device (or snapshot of a volume) without having to reboot the system and without causing interruption to operations being performed on the volume. The tracking is enabled by applying a patch to a driver provided by the operating system to replace an original write handler of the driver with an alternate write handler. This alternate handler is used to track the sequence of write operations performed on a snapshot of the volume device. An active bitmap is maintained for recording changed blocks resulting from the write operations. Tins active bitmap can subsequently be used to perform an incremental backup of the volume device based on the snapshot.
13 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for tracking write operations to perform incremental backups, the method comprising:
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accessing a driver of an operating system on a computer, the driver creating a snapshot volume of a physical volume of the computer; applying a patch to the driver, the patch configured to replace an original write handler of the driver with a first alternate write handler, the first alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume being caused by invoking the first alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume maintaining a first active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume over a time interval; accessing a second alternate write handler when an input-output manager of the operating system writes to the physical volume, the second alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume being caused by invoking the second alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume maintaining a second active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume over the time interval; determining one or more files to be excluded from the incremental backup; executing a delete operation on the snapshot volume to remove the one or more files from the snapshot, wherein the delete operation is handled by the first alternate write handler; merging the first active bitmap with the second active bitmap to produce a master bitmap, so that the delete operation is reflected in the master bitmap; and performing an incremental backup of the physical volume based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap to maintain consistent backup during continued execution of the operating system and without disruption to the write operations on the physical volume, wherein the one or more files are excluded from the incremental backup when the incremental backup is preformed based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A computing system, comprising:
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at least one processor; and memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to; access a driver of an operating system on a computer, the driver creating a snapshot volume of a physical volume of the computer; apply a patch to the driver, the patch configured to replace an original write handler of the driver with a first alternate write handler, the first alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume being caused by invoking the first alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume maintaining a first active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume over a time interval; access a second alternate write handler when an input-output manager of the operating system writes to the physical volume, the second alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume being caused by invoking the second alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume maintaining a second active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume over the time interval; determine one or more files to be excluded from the incremental backup; execute a delete operation on the snapshot volume to remove the one or more files from the snapshot, wherein the delete operation is handled by the first alternate write handler; merge the first active bitmap with the second active bitmap to produce a master bitmap, so that the delete operation is reflected in the master bitmap; and perform an incremental backup of the physical volume based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap to maintain consistent backup during continued execution of the operating system and without disruption to the write operations on the physical volume, wherein the one or more files are excluded from the incremental backup when the incremental backup is preformed based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
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access a driver of an operating system on a computer, the driver creating a snapshot volume of a physical volume of the computer; apply a patch to the driver, the patch configured to replace an original write handler of the driver with a first alternate write handler, the first alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume being caused by invoking the first alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume maintaining a first active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the snapshot volume over a time interval; access a second alternate write handler when an input-output manager of the operating system writes to the physical volume, the second alternate write handler tracking a sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume, the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume being caused by invoking the second alternate write handler, and the tracking of the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume maintaining a second active bitmap recording the sequence of write operations performed on the physical volume over the time interval; determine one or more files to be excluded from the incremental backup; execute a delete operation on the snapshot volume to remove the one or more files from the snapshot, wherein the delete operation is handled by the first alternate write handler; merge the first active bitmap with the second active bitmap to produce a master bitmap, so that the delete operation is reflected in the master bitmap; and perform an incremental backup of the physical volume based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap to maintain consistent backup during continued execution of the operating system and without disruption to the write operations on the physical volume, wherein the one or more files are excluded from the incremental backup when the incremental backup is preformed based on the snapshot volume and based on the master bitmap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification