Systems and methods for populating and maintaining a local cache with archived data items

• US 9,251,153 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Foote, Christopher, Heymink, Benjamin, Marshall, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Reyes, Mariela
• Assistant Examiner(s): Almani, Mohsen
• Application Number:
  US12/606,391
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 707/763
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for populating and maintaining a local cache with archived data items is described. A request to organize archived data items into one or more bundles is sent. The one or more bundles of archived data items are downloaded to the local cache. Each of the archived data items are organized in the one or more bundles according to a time period associated with each archived data item. An index file is extracted from each of the one or more bundles. The extracted index file is inserted into a master index file.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for populating and maintaining a local cache of a client machine with archived data items, comprising:

sending a request over a network connection from the client machine to a server to organize, at the server, archived data items stored in an archive database into one or more bundle files according to a time period associated with each archived data item, the one or more bundle files comprising a predetermined file format;

including, at the server, an index file in each of the one or more bundles files;

upon determining that the server is finished organizing the archived data items into the one or more bundle files, downloading, to the local cache, the one or more bundle files of archived data items;

extracting an index file from each of the one or more bundle files, wherein an extracted index file comprises a list of identifiers for each archived data item placed in one of the one or more bundle files, the list of identifiers comprising a data item identifier identifying a particular data item, the data item identifier being assigned to the particular data item when the particular data item is archived in the archive database, an entry identifier to locate the particular data item in a particular bundle, the entry identifier being generated when the particular data item is added to the bundle, and a bundle identifier identifying the particular bundle and indicating the time period associated with each archived data item placed in the particular bundle, the bundle identifier being generated when the particular bundle is created;

inserting the extracted index file into a master index file; and

accessing at least a portion of the one or more bundle files of archived data items on the local cache of the client machine in the absence of the network connection to the server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying whether one or more additional data items have been archived subsequent to sending the request to organize archived data items into the one or more bundle files.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a request to organize the one or more additional data items into an additional bundle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising downloading the additional bundle of the one or more additional data items to the local cache.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising merging the one or more additional data items into a bundle previously downloaded to the local cache.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying whether an occupied space threshold relating to the available space of a local disk is satisfied.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising preventing the downloading of the one or more bundle files upon verification that the occupied space threshold is satisfied.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising selecting a bundle to remove from the local cache upon verification that the occupied space threshold is satisfied.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the client machine connects to the server over the network connection from a location remote to the server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network connection comprises a type of connection selected from an internet connection, a cellular connection, an Ethernet connection, or a wireless connection.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting from each of the one or more bundle files a data item index for each archived data item in the one or more bundle files; and

extracting a bundle index from each of the one or more bundle files.

12. A computer system configured to populate and maintain a local cache of a client machine with archived data items, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

send a request over a network connection from the client machine to a server to organize, at the server, archived data items stored in an archive database into one or more bundle files according to a time period associated with each archived data item;

include, at the server, an index file in each of the one or more bundles files;

upon determining that the server is finished organizing the archived data items into the one or more bundle files, download, to the local cache, the one or more bundle files of archived data items;

extract an index file from each of the one or more bundle files, wherein an extracted index file comprises a list of identifiers for each archived data item placed in one of the one or more bundle files, the list of identifiers comprising a data item identifier identifying a particular data item, the data item identifier being assigned to the particular data item when the particular data item is archived in the archive database, an entry identifier to locate the particular data item in a particular bundle, the entry identifier being generated when the particular data item is added to the bundle, and a bundle identifier identifying the particular bundle and indicating the time period associated with each archived data item placed in the particular bundle, the bundle identifier being generated when the particular bundle is created;

insert the extracted index file into a master index file; and

access at least a portion of the one or more bundle files of archived data items on the local cache of the client machine in the absence of the network connection to the server.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

verify whether one or more additional data items have been archived subsequent to sending the request to organize archived data items into the one or more bundle files.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

send a request to organize the one or more additional data items into an additional bundle.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

download the additional bundle of the one or more additional data items to the local cache.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

merge the one or more additional data items into a bundle previously downloaded to the local cache.

17. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

verify whether an occupied space threshold relating to the available space of a local disk is satisfied.

18. A computer-program product for populating and maintaining a local cache of a client machine with archived data items, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by a processor to:

send a request over a network connection from the client machine to a server to organize, at the server, archived data items stored in an archive database into one or more bundle files according to a time period associated with each archived data item;

include, at the server, an index file in each of the one or more bundles files;

upon determining that the server is finished organizing the archived data items into the one or more bundle files, download, to the local cache, the one or more bundle files of archived data items;

extract an index file from each of the one or more bundle files, wherein an extracted index file comprises a list of identifiers for each archived data item placed in one of the one or more bundle files, the list of identifiers comprising a data item identifier identifying a particular data item, the data item identifier being assigned to the particular data item when the particular data item is archived in the archive database, an entry identifier to locate the particular data item in a particular bundle, the entry identifier being generated when the particular data item is added to the bundle, and a bundle identifier identifying the particular bundle and indicating the time period associated with each archived data item placed in the particular bundle, the bundle identifier being generated when the particular bundle is created;

insert the extracted index file into a master index file; and

access the one or more bundle files of archived data items on the local cache of the client machine in the absence of the network connection to the server.