Systems and methods to perform data backup in data storage systems

• US 9,201,906 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kumarasamy, Paramasivam, Vallabhaneni, Brahmaiah, Thati, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrison, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Ken
• Application Number:
  US13/788,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 711/162, 711/E12.103, 711/154, 711/E12.001, 711/161, 711/114, 711/100, 711/156, 711/163, 711/203, 711/E12.016, 711/E12.023, 711/E12.084, 711/E12.091, 711/111, 711/112, 711/113, 711/120, 711/155, 711/202, 711/4, 709/223, 709/217, 709/224, 709/202, 709/220, 709/226, 709/229, 709/248, 709/208, 709/215, 709/216, 709/219, 709/225, 709/230, 709/232, 709/238, 709/239, 714/4.11, 714/6.3, 714/E11.073, 714/E11.106, 714/4.1, 714/E11.023, 714/E11.071, 714/E11.084, 714/E11.107, 714/100, 714/19, 714/4.12, 714/6.1, 714/6.21, 714/6.23, 714/E11.021, 714/E11.024, 714/E11.12, 714/E11.123, 714/E11.131, 714/1, 714/11, 714/13, 714/15, 714/16, 714/2, 714/47.2, 714/48, 714/6.2, 707/E17.005, 707/610, 707/639, 707/640, 707/E17.007, 707/649, 707/652, 707/683, 707/684, 707/999.202, 707/E17.01, 707/E17.044, 707/638, 707/645, 707/648, 707/651, 707/654, 707/659, 707/674, 707/682, 707/692, 707/999.2, 707/999.204, 707/E17.001, 707/623, 707/624, 707/625, 707/626, 707/634, 707/637, 707/644, 707/646, 707/647, 707/655, 707/657, 707/660, 707/661, 707/675, 707/678, 707/679, 707/681, 707/685, 707/690, 707/691, 707/693, 707/698, 707/699, 707/711, 707/747, 707/820, 707/821, 707/822, 707/827
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A data storage system, according to certain aspects, automatically backs up source data when the replication data is faulty. For instance, the system performs data backup using replication data rather than source data to reduce the processing load on the source system. The backup data is then associated with the source data as if the backup had been performed on the source data. If the replication system fails, then backing up replication data results in backup data that does not accurately reflect the source data. When permitted by the user system configuration, the system automatically backs up source data when replication has failed.

Claims

1. A method of performing data back up in a data storage system, the method comprising:

receiving instructions to back up source data stored in one or more primary storage devices associated with a client computing device, the source data being primary data generated by at least one software application executing on the client computing device and stored in a format of the at least one software application;

replicating the source data to one or more replication storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices to generate replication data, the replication data stored in the native format of the at least one software application, wherein the source data and the replication data are substantially synchronized with respect to one another;

based on a stored storage policy associated with the client computing device, initiating a backup operation in which a point in time backup copy of the primary data is to be created on one or more secondary storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices and the one or more replication storage devices;

automatically determining with one or more processors whether the replication data stored in the one or more replication storage devices is an accurate replication of the source data;

providing a notification that the replication data is faulty when the replication data is inaccurate;

consulting the stored storage policy to determine whether the stored storage policy permits back up from the source data when the replication data is inaccurate;

when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy permits back up from the source data, completing the backup operation by automatically copying with one or more processors the source data to the one or more secondary storage devices to create the point in time backup copy, the point in time backup copy stored in a backup format different than the native format for the at least one software application; and

associating the point in time backup copy with the source data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising ending data back up without backing up the source data when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored storage policy is stored in a policies database.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data.

5. The method of claim 2 providing a job pending reason (JPR) for ending data back up without backing up the source data.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising initiating a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data based at least in part on the JPR.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising counting a number of times data back up ended without backing up the source data.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising initiating a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data based at least in part on the number.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification is provided to a system administrator through a graphical user interface.

10. A system to create secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices, the system comprising:

computer hardware including one or more computer processors; and

computer-readable storage comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer hardware to perform operations defined by the computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions configured to;

receive instructions to back up source data stored in one or more primary storage devices associated with a client computing device, the source data being primary data generated by at least one software application executing on the client computing device and stored in a format of the at least one software application;

replicate the source data to one or more replication storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices to generate replication data, the replication data stored in the native format of the at least one software application, wherein the source data and the replication data are substantially synchronized with respect to one another;

based on a stored storage policy associated with the client computing device, initiate a backup operation in which a point in time backup copy of the primary data is to be created on one or more secondary storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices and the one or more replication storage devices;

automatically determine with one or more processors whether the replication data stored in the one or more replication storage devices is an accurate replication of the source data;

provide a notification that the replication data is faulty when the replication data is inaccurate;

consult the stored storage policy to determine whether the stored storage policy permits back up from the source data when the replication data is inaccurate;

when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy permits back up from the source data, complete the backup operation by automatically copying with one or more processors the source data to the one or more secondary storage devices to create the point in time backup copy, the point in time backup copy stored in a backup format different than the native format for the at least one software application; and

associate the point in time backup copy with the source data.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to end data back up without backing up the source data when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer-readable storage further comprises a policies database configured to store the stored storage policy.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to initiate a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to provide a job pending reason (JPR) for ending data back up without backing up the source data.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to initiate a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data based at least in part on the JPR.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to count a number of times data back up ended without backing up the source data.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to initiate a backup operation when the replication data is inaccurate and the stored storage policy prohibits back up from the source data based at least in part on the number.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the notification is provided to a system administrator through a graphical user interface.