Generic file level restore from a block-level secondary copy
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for restoring data, comprising:
- with a first computing device residing in a data storage system and comprising computer hardware,interfacing with a device node instantiated on the first computing device to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy representing a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices;
processing the obtained file system metadata with an operating system component executing on a processor of the first computing device to construct a file system hierarchy corresponding to the block-level secondary copy and to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device;
generating data for displaying a view of the file system hierarchy to a user; and
in response to a request initiated by user interaction with the view of the file system hierarchy to restore at least a first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, interfacing with the device node to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks which correspond to the first file,wherein the device node initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, andwherein the at least one file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to one or more primary storage devices associated with the first computing device.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided which perform a file level restore by utilizing existing operating system components (e.g., file system drivers) that are natively installed on the target computing device. These components can be used to mount and/or interpret a secondary copy of the file system. For instance, the system can instantiate an interface object (e.g., a device node such as a pseudo device, device file or special file) on the target client which includes file system metadata corresponding to the backed up version of the file system. The interface provides a mechanism for the operating system to mount the secondary copy and perform file level access on the secondary copy, e.g., to restore one or more selected files.
197 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for restoring data, comprising:
with a first computing device residing in a data storage system and comprising computer hardware, interfacing with a device node instantiated on the first computing device to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy representing a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; processing the obtained file system metadata with an operating system component executing on a processor of the first computing device to construct a file system hierarchy corresponding to the block-level secondary copy and to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device; generating data for displaying a view of the file system hierarchy to a user; and in response to a request initiated by user interaction with the view of the file system hierarchy to restore at least a first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, interfacing with the device node to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks which correspond to the first file, wherein the device node initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, and wherein the at least one file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to one or more primary storage devices associated with the first computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system, comprising:
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a first computing device comprising computer hardware; a device node instantiated as software on the first computing device, the device node providing an interface to access a block-level secondary copy of file system data, wherein the first computing device is configured to; interface with the device node to obtain file system metadata corresponding to the block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy representing a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; process the obtained file system metadata with an operating system component executing on the first computing device is configured to construct a file system hierarchy corresponding to the secondary copy and to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device; generate data for displaying a view of the file system hierarchy to a user; and in response to a request initiated by user interaction with the view of the file system hierarchy to restore at least a first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, request from the one or more secondary storage devices one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks which correspond to the first file, wherein the one or more first blocks are retrieved from secondary storage and copied to primary storage associated with the first computing device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Non-transitory computer storage comprising instructions which, when executed, direct a computer system coupled to the computer storage to perform a method comprising:
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interfacing with a device node instantiated on the computer system to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy representing a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; processing the obtained file system metadata with an operating system component executing on a processor of the computer system to construct a file system hierarchy corresponding to the block-level secondary copy and to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the computer system; generating data for displaying a view of the file system hierarchy to a user; and in response to a request initiated by user interaction with the view of the file system hierarchy to restore at least a first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, interfacing with the device node to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks which correspond to the first file, wherein the device node initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, and wherein the at least one file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to primary storage associated with the computer system.
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Specification