Managing back up operations for data

• US 9,811,426 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mostachetti, Marianne J., Sutton, Peter G., Yudenfriend, Harry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US14/753,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments

Abstract

Backup operations for data resources can be managed as follows. At least one data resource residing on at least one data storage device is identified. An information processing system automatically determines that the at least one data resource fails to be associated with a backup policy. In response to the at least one data resource failing to be associated with a backup policy, at least one backup policy is associated with the at least one data resource.

Claims

1. A method for managing backup operations for data resources, the method comprising:

identifying at least one data resource residing on at least one data storage device;

automatically determining, with an information processing system, that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy, wherein the backup policy at least indicates that at least one backup operation is to be performed for the at least one data resource;

based on the at least one data resource being associated with a backup policy, determining that the at least one data resource is associated with two or more backup agents, where each backup agent of the two of more backup agents performs a duplicate instance of the at least one backup operation for the at least one data resource; and

based on the at least one data resource being associated with two or more backup agents, reassigning only one of the two or more backup agents to the at least one data resource, wherein the reassigning prevents each of the two or more backup agents not reassigned to the at least one data resource from performing the at least one backup operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying a user, via a graphical user interface, that the resource is associated with two or more backup agents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy comprises:

comparing an identifier associated with the at least one data resource with a list of identifiers associated with data resources assigned to at least one backup policy; and

determining that the list contains the identifier associated with the at least one data resource.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with two or more backup agents comprises:

receiving a first set of information associated with a first backup process performed by a first of the two or more backup agents;

receiving a second set of information associated with a second backup process performed by a second of the two or more backup agents;

comparing the first set of information and the second set of information; and

determining, in response to the comparing, that the first set of information and the second set of information each comprise an identifier associated with the at least one resource.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least one data resource comprises:

querying a network;

receiving, in response to the querying, a list of data storage devices coupled to the network;

analyzing each data storage device; and

obtaining, in response to the analyzing, a list of data resources residing on each of the data storage devices.

6. A computer program product for managing backup operations for data resources, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising computer readable program code configured to perform a method comprising:

identifying at least one data resource residing on at least one data storage device;

automatically determining, with an information processing system, that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy, wherein the backup policy at least indicates that at least one backup operation is to be performed for the at least one data resource;

based on the at least one data resource being associated with a backup policy, determining that the at least one data resource is associated with two or more backup agents, where each backup agent of the two of more backup agents performs a duplicate instance of the at least one backup operation for the at least one data resource; and

based on the at least one data resource being associated with two or more backup agents, reassigning only one of the two or more backup agents to the at least one data resource, wherein the reassigning prevents each of the two or more backup agents not reassigned to the at least one data resource from performing at least one backup operation.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy comprises:

comparing an identifier associated with the at least one data resource with a list of identifiers associated with data resources assigned to at least one backup policy; and

determining that the list comprises the identifier associated with the at least one data resource.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with associated with two or more backup agents comprises:

receiving a first set of information associated with a first backup process performed by a first of the two or more backup agents;

receiving a second set of information associated with a second backup process performed by a second of the two or more backup agents;

comparing the first set of information and the second set of information; and

determining, based on comparing, that the first set of information and the second set of information each comprise an identifier associated with the at least one resource.

9. A system for managing backup operations for data resources, the system comprising:

a memory device;

a hardware-based processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a backup manager communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the backup manager is configured to perform a method comprising;

identifying at least one data resource residing on at least one data storage device;

automatically determining, with an information processing system, that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy, wherein the backup policy at least indicates that at least one backup operation is to be performed for the at least one data resource;

based on the at least one data resource being associated with a backup policy, determining that the at least one data resource is associated with two or more backup agents, where each backup agent of the two of more backup agents performs a duplicate instance of the at least one backup operation for the at least one data resource; and

based on the at least one data resource being associated with two or more backup agents, reassigning only one of the two or more backup agents to the at least one data resource, wherein the reassigning prevents each of the two or more backup agents not reassigned to the at least one data resource from performing the at least one backup operation.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

notifying a user, via a graphical user interface, that the resource is associated with two or more backup agents.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with a backup policy comprises:

comparing an identifier associated with the at least one data resource with a list of identifiers associated with data resources assigned to at least one backup policy; and

determining that the list contains the identifier associated with the at least one data resource.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein determining that the at least one data resource is associated with two or more backup agents comprises:

receiving a first set of information associated with a first backup process performed by a first of the two or more backup agents;

receiving a second set of information associated with a second backup process performed by a second of the two or more backup agents;

comparing the first set of information and the second set of information; and

determining, in response to the comparing, that the first set of information and the second set of information each comprise an identifier associated with the at least one resource.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the at least one data resource comprises:

querying a network;

receiving, in response to the querying, a list of data storage devices coupled to the network;

analyzing each data storage device; and

obtaining, in response to the analyzing, a list of data resources residing on each of the data storage devices.