Techniques for data restoration

• US 9,990,254 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bayliss, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Taelor
• Application Number:
  US12/362,303
• Time in Patent Office: 3,414 Days
• Field of Search: 726 23, 726 24, 713 2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/83 the solution involving signatures

Abstract

Techniques for data restoration are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for data restoration. The apparatus may comprise a module to identify a missing or corrupt file. The apparatus may also comprise a module to determine a file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file from one or more associated databases and a module to determine if one or more clients has a copy of the missing or corrupt file. The apparatus may further comprise a module to request the missing or corrupt file from one or more of the one or more clients.

Claims

1. A system for data restoration comprising:

one or more hardware computer processors communicatively coupled to a network,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

detect errors in a content database;

execute a repair operation in response to the detected errors, wherein the repair operation comprises fixing any errors detected in the content database using at least one initial fix operation;

in the event the detected errors cannot be fixed using the at least one initial fix operation, identify a missing or corrupt file;

determine a file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file from at least one of a metabase and the content database, wherein the file fingerprint and at least one unique identifier are configured to indicate changes in a file in the event the file changes;

determine if a plurality of clients of a set of clients has a copy of the missing or corrupt file by comparing the file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file to the file fingerprint data stored in the metabase, wherein files associated with the one or more clients are stored separately from the content database, and wherein the copy of the missing or corrupt file is used for data restoration; and

request the copy of the missing or corrupt file from one or more of the plurality of clients by;

adding a request for the missing or corrupt file to a backup schedule of the plurality of clients in which the plurality of clients are each backed up at different successive times in a backup schedule; and

requesting the missing or corrupt file from each successive client on the backup schedule until a copy of the missing or corrupt file is located;

wherein the one or more clients of the plurality of clients are each computers having a filesystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive the missing or corrupt file from one of the clients.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the metabase stores information associated with files associated with the one or more clients.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the content database stores files associated with the one or more clients.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the file fingerprint is generated from the MD5 hash function.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the file fingerprint is generated from a hash function in the SHA-2 family.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second file location data indicates a location of a file in backup storage.

8. A method for data restoration comprising the steps of:

detecting errors in a content database;

executing a repair operation in response to the detected errors, wherein the repair operation comprises fixing any errors detected in the content database using at least one initial fix operation;

in the event the detected errors cannot be fixed using the at least one initial fix operation, identifying a missing or corrupt file;

determining a file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file from at least one of a metabase and the content database, wherein the file fingerprint and at least one unique identifier are configured to indicate changes in a file in the event the file changes;

determining if a plurality of claims of a set of clients has a copy of the missing or corrupt file by comparing the file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file to the file fingerprint data stored in the metabase, wherein files associated with the one or more clients are stored separately from the content database and wherein the copy of the missing or corrupt file is used for data restoration; and

requesting the copy of the missing or corrupt file from one or more of the plurality of clients by;

adding a request for the missing or corrupt file to a backup schedule of the plurality of clients in which the plurality of clients are each backed up at different successive times in a backup schedule; and

requesting the missing or corrupt file from each successive client on the backup schedule until a copy of the missing or corrupt file is located;

wherein the one or more clients of the plurality of clients are each computers having a filesystem.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the missing or corrupt file from one of the clients.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the requesting step occurs independently of a regularly scheduled backup routine.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the requesting step occurs during a regularly scheduled backup routine.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the metabase stores information associated with files associated with the one or more clients.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the content database stores files associated with the one or more clients.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the file fingerprint is generated from the MD5 hash function.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the file fingerprint is generated from a hash function in the SHA-2 family.

16. At least one non-transitory processor readable medium for storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 8.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the second file location data indicates a location of a file in backup storage.

18. An article of manufacture for data restoration, the article of manufacture comprising:

at least one non-transitory processor readable medium; and

instructions carried on the at least one medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the at least one medium by at least one processor and thereby cause the at least one processor to operate so as to;

detect errors in a content database;

execute a repair operation in response to the detected errors, wherein the repair operation comprises fixing any errors detected in the content database using at least one initial fix operation;

in the event the detected errors cannot be fixed using the at least one initial fix operation, identify a missing or corrupt file;

determine a file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file from at least one of a metabase and the content database, wherein the file fingerprint and at least one unique identifier are configured to indicate changes in a file in the event the file changes;

determine if a plurality of clients of a set of clients has a copy of the missing or corrupt file by comparing the file fingerprint of the missing or corrupt file to the file fingerprint data stored in the metabase, wherein files associated with the one or more clients are stored separately from the content database and wherein the copy of the missing or corrupt file is used for data restoration; and

request the copy of the missing or corrupt file from one or more of the plurality of clients by;

adding a request for the missing or corrupt file to a backup schedule of the plurality of clients in which the plurality of clients are each backed up at different successive times in a backup schedule; and

requesting the missing or corrupt file from each successive client on the backup schedule until a copy of the missing or corrupt file is located;

wherein the one or more clients of the plurality of clients are each computers having a filesystem.