Method and system for disaster recovery

• US 20030200480A1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beattie, Andrew M.H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques

Abstract

A method for disaster recovery includes copying at least a portion of information from a first database to a backup system as backup information. The method also includes storing an incremental change in a second database. The incremental change represents a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database. The method further includes restoring the first database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

Claims

1. A method for disaster recovery, comprising:

communicating an incremental change for storage in a first database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a second database;

receiving at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the second database previously stored in a backup system; and

restoring the second database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein restoring the second database comprises:

storing the backup information in the second database; and

implementing the incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the incremental change comprises:

receiving a first incremental change from the backup system; and

receiving a second incremental change from the first database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein restoring the second database comprises:

storing the backup information in the second database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database after implementing the first incremental change.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a restoration time;

and

wherein restoring the second database comprises;

storing the backup information in the second database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database when a first time associated with the first incremental change does not exceed the restoration time; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database when a second time associated with the second incremental change does not exceed the restoration time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the incremental change for storage in the first database comprises:

detecting incremental changes in at least one file system;

accumulating a plurality of incremental changes detected during each of a plurality of time windows; and

communicating the accumulated incremental changes for storage in the first database after each time window.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating at least a portion of the information from the second database for storage in the backup system as the backup information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising starting a replication task before communicating at least a portion of the information from the second database to the backup system, the replication task operable to detect and communicate the incremental change for storage in the first database.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising accessing a taskfile to identify at least one of a first file to be monitored for incremental changes, a first folder to be monitored for incremental changes, a first registry to be monitored for incremental changes, a second file to be excluded from monitoring, a second folder to be excluded from monitoring, and a second registry to be excluded from monitoring.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the incremental change represents a change to at least a portion of a file or a registry in the second database.

11. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

logic encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed to;

communicate an incremental change for storage in a first database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a second database;

receive at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the second database previously stored in a backup system; and

restore the second database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic is operable to restore the second database by:

storing the backup information in the second database; and

implementing the incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic is operable to receive the incremental change by:

receiving a first incremental change from the backup system; and

receiving a second incremental change from the first database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the logic is operable to restore the second database by:

storing the backup information in the second database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database after implementing the first incremental change.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the logic is further operable to receive a restoration time; and

the logic is operable to restore the second database by;

storing the backup information in the second database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database when a first time associated with the first incremental change does not exceed the restoration time; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the second database when a second time associated with the second incremental change does not exceed the restoration time.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic is further operable to communicate at least a portion of the information from the second database for storage in the backup system as the backup information.

17. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a first database operable to store information; and

one or more processors collectively operable to;

communicate an incremental change for storage in a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database;

receive at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the first database previously stored in a backup system; and

restore the first database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are collectively operable to restore the first database by:

storing the backup information in the first database; and

implementing the incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are collectively operable to receive the incremental change by:

receiving a first incremental change from the backup system; and

receiving a second incremental change from the first database.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are collectively operable to restore the first database by:

storing the backup information in the first database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database after implementing the first incremental change.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to receive a restoration time; and

the one or more processors are collectively operable to restore the first database by;

storing the backup information in the first database;

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when a first time associated with the first incremental change does not exceed the restoration time; and

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when a second time associated with the second incremental change does not exceed the restoration time.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further collectively operable to communicate at least a portion of the information from the first database for storage in the backup system as the backup information.

23. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a file system monitor operable to detect a plurality of incremental changes to information in at least one first file system;

a transaction accumulator operable to receive the plurality of incremental changes and to accumulate the plurality of incremental changes received during a determined time period; and

a service operable to execute a replication task, the replication task operable to receive the accumulated incremental changes and to communicate the accumulated incremental changes for storage in a second file system, wherein the at least one first file system may be restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the at least one first file system previously stored in a backup system.

24. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

means for communicating an incremental change for storage in a first database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a second database;

means for receiving at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the second database previously stored in a backup system; and

means for restoring the second database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

25. A method for disaster recovery, comprising:

receiving an incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a first database;

storing the incremental change in a second database; and

communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the first database, the first database restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the first database previously stored in a backup system.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the incremental change comprises a first incremental change;

and

further comprising;

receiving a second incremental change;

storing the second incremental change in the second database; and

communicating the second incremental change for storage in the backup system, the backup system operable to communicate the second incremental change for use in restoring the first database.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

storing the first incremental change in the second database comprises storing the first incremental change in a first folder; and

communicating the second incremental change for storage in the backup system comprises communicating at least a portion of a second folder containing the second incremental change for storage in the backup system.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

renaming the second folder from an old name to a new name before communicating at least a portion of the second folder for storage in the backup system, the new name comprising a timestamp; and

creating the first folder, the first folder having the old name of the second folder.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the incremental change is associated with a first file located in a first file system folder in the first database, the first file system folder located in a first drive folder, the first file having a file name; and

storing the incremental change in the second database comprises storing the incremental change in a second file located in a second file system folder, the second file system folder associated with the first file system folder, the second file system folder located in a second drive folder associated with the first drive folder, the second file having the file name.

30. The method of claim 29, where in storing the incremental change in the second file comprises:

determining if the second drive system folder exists;

creating the second drive system folder if it does not exist;

determining if the second file system folder exists;

creating the second file system folder if it does not exist;

determining if the second file exists; and

creating the second file if it does not exist.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the incremental change is stored in one of a plurality of timestamp folders, one of the timestamp folders representing a current time period, at least one of the remaining timestamp folders representing at least one previous time period.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving a restoration time;

and

wherein communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the first database comprises;

determining whether a time associated with the timestamp folder in which the incremental change is stored exceeds the restoration time; and

communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the first database when the time associated with the timestamp folder does not exceed the restoration time.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving the backup information; and

storing the backup information in the backup system.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the incremental change represents a change to at least a portion of a file or a registry in the first database.

35. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

logic encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed to;

receive an incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a first database;

store the incremental change in a second database; and

communicate the incremental change for use in restoring the first database, the first database restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the first database previously stored in a backup system.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein:

the incremental change comprises a first incremental change; and

the logic is further operable to;

receive a second incremental change;

store the second incremental change in the second database; and

communicate the second incremental change for storage in the backup system, the backup system operable to communicate the second incremental change for use in restoring the first database.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein:

the logic is operable to store the first incremental change in a first folder in the second database;

the logic is operable to store the second incremental change in a second folder in the second database;

the logic is operable to communicate the second incremental change for storage in the backup system by communicating at least a portion of the second folder for storage in the backup system; and

the logic is further operable to;

rename the second folder from an old name to a new name before communicating at least a portion of the second folder for storage in the backup system, the new name comprising a timestamp; and

create the first folder, the first folder having the old name of the second folder.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein:

the incremental change is associated with a first file located in a first file system folder in the first database, the first file system folder located in a first drive folder, the first file having a file name; and

the logic is operable to store the incremental change by;

determining if a second drive system folder associated with the first drive system folder exists in the second database;

creating the second drive system folder if it does not exist;

determining if a second file system folder associated with the first file system folder exists in the second database;

creating the second file system folder if it does not exist;

determining if a second file having the file name exists;

creating the second file if it does not exist; and

storing the incremental change in the second file.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein:

the incremental change is stored in one of a plurality of timestamp folders, one of the timestamp folders representing a current time period, at least one of the remaining timestamp folders representing at least one previous time period;

the logic is further operable to receive a restoration time; and

the logic is operable to communicate the incremental change for use in restoring the first database by;

determining whether a time associated with the timestamp folder in which the incremental change is stored exceeds the restoration time; and

communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the first database when the time associated with the timestamp folder does not exceed the restoration time.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein the logic is further operable to:

receive the backup information; and

store the backup information in the backup system.

41. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a first database operable to store an incremental change; and

one or more processors collectively operable to;

receive the incremental change, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a second database;

store the incremental change in the first database; and

communicate the incremental change for use in restoring the second database, the second database restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the second database previously stored in a backup system.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the incremental change comprises a first incremental change; and

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to;

receive a second incremental change;

store the second incremental change in the first database; and

communicate the second incremental change for storage in the backup system, the backup system operable to communicate the second incremental change for use in restoring the second database.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein:

the one or more processors are collectively operable to store the first incremental change in a first folder in the first database;

the one or more processors are collectively operable to store the second incremental change in a second folder in the first database;

the one or more processors are collectively operable to communicate the second incremental change for storage in the backup system by communicating at least a portion of the second folder for storage in the backup system; and

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to;

rename the second folder from an old name to a new name before communicating at least a portion of the second folder for storage in the backup system, the new name comprising a timestamp; and

create the first folder, the first folder having the old name of the second folder.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the incremental change is associated with a first file located in a first file system folder in the second database, the first file system folder located in a first drive folder, the first file having a file name; and

the one or more processors are collectively operable to store the incremental change by;

determining if a second drive system folder associated with the first drive system folder exists in the first database;

creating the second drive system folder if it does not exist;

determining if a second file system folder associated with the first file system folder exists in the first database;

creating the second file system folder if it does not exist;

determining if a second file having the file name exists;

creating the second file if it does not exist; and

storing the incremental change in the second file.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein:

the incremental change is stored in one of a plurality of timestamp folders, one of the timestamp folders representing a current time period, at least one of the remaining timestamp folders representing at least one previous time period;

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to receive a restoration time; and

the one or more processors are collectively operable to communicate the incremental change for use in restoring the second database by;

determining whether a time associated with the timestamp folder in which the incremental change is stored exceeds the restoration time; and

communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the second database when the time associated with the timestamp folder does not exceed the restoration time.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the one or more processors are further collectively operable to:

receive the backup information; and

store the backup information in the backup system.

47. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a service operable to execute a replication task, the replication task operable to receive an incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in at least one first file system, the replication task also operable to store the incremental change in a second file system, the replication task further operable to communicate the incremental change for use in restoring the at least one first file system, the at least one first file system restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the at least one first file system previously stored in a backup system; and

an interface operable to control the replication task.

48. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

means for receiving an incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of information in a database;

means for storing the incremental change; and

means for communicating the incremental change for use in restoring the database, the database restored using at least one of backup information and the incremental change, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the database previously stored in a backup system.

49. A method for disaster recovery, comprising:

receiving backup information comprising at least a portion of information from a first database;

storing the backup information in a backup system;

receiving an incremental change from a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database;

storing the incremental change in the backup system; and

communicating the incremental change and the backup information for use in restoring the first database.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

receiving the incremental change for storage in the second database;

storing the incremental change in the second database; and

communicating the incremental change from the second database for storage in the backup system.

51. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

logic encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed to;

receive backup information comprising at least a portion of information from a first database;

store the backup information in a backup system;

receive an incremental change from a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database;

store the incremental change in the backup system; and

communicate the incremental change and the backup information for use in restoring the first database.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the logic is further operable to:

receive the incremental change for storage in the second database;

store the incremental change in the second database; and

communicate the incremental change from the second database for storage in the backup system.

53. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a backup system operable to store backup information; and

one or more processors collectively operable to;

receive the backup information comprising at least a portion of information from a first database;

store the backup information in the backup system;

receive an incremental change from a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database;

store the incremental change in the backup system; and

communicate the incremental change and the backup information for use in restoring the first database.

54. The system of claim 53, further comprising the second database, and wherein the one or more processors are further collectively operable to:

receive the incremental change for storage in the second database;

store the incremental change in the second database; and

communicate the incremental change from the second database for storage in the backup system.

55. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

means for receiving backup information comprising at least a portion of information from a first database;

means for receiving an incremental change from a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database;

means for storing the backup information and the incremental change; and

means for communicating the incremental change and the backup information for use in restoring the first database.

56. A method for disaster recovery, comprising:

copying at least a portion of information from a first database to a backup system as backup information;

storing an incremental change in a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database; and

restoring the first database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the incremental change comprises a first incremental change;

further comprising copying a second incremental change from the second database to the backup system; and

wherein restoring the first database comprises restoring the first database using at least one of the backup information, the first incremental change stored in the second database, and the second incremental change stored in the backup system.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising receiving a restoration time;

and

wherein restoring the first database comprises;

storing the backup information in the first database;

determining if a first time associated with the second incremental change stored in the backup system exceeds the restoration time;

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the first time does not exceed the restoration time;

determining if a second time associated with the first incremental change stored in the second database exceeds the restoration time; and

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the second time does not exceed the restoration time.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the second database and the backup system reside on a single platform.

60. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

logic encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed to;

copy at least a portion of information from a first database to a backup system as backup information;

store an incremental change in a second database, the incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database; and

restore the first database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the incremental change comprises a first incremental change;

the logic is further operable to copy a second incremental change from the second database to the backup system; and

the logic is operable to restore the first database using at least one of the backup information, the first incremental change stored in the second database, and the second incremental change stored in the backup system.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein:

the logic is further operable to receive a restoration time; and

the logic is operable to restore the first database by;

storing the backup information in the first database;

determining if a first time associated with the second incremental change stored in the backup system exceeds the restoration time;

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the first time does not exceed the restoration time;

determining if a second time associated with the first incremental change stored in the second database exceeds the restoration time; and

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the second time does not exceed the restoration time.

63. The system of claim 60, wherein the second database and the backup system reside on a single platform.

64. A system for disaster recovery, comprising:

a first database operable to store information;

a backup system operable to store backup information, the backup information comprising at least a portion of the information from the first database;

a second database operable to store an incremental change representing a change to at least a portion of the information in the first database; and

one or more processors collectively operable to restore the first database using at least one of the backup information and the incremental change.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the incremental change comprises a first incremental change;

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to copy a second incremental change from the second database to the backup system; and

the one or more processors are collectively operable to restore the first database using at least one of the backup information, the first incremental change stored in the second database, and the second incremental change stored in the backup system.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein:

the one or more processors are further collectively operable to receive a restoration time; and

the one or more processors are collectively operable to restore the first database by;

storing the backup information in the first database;

determining if a first time associated with the second incremental change stored in the backup system exceeds the restoration time;

implementing the second incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the first time does not exceed the restoration time;

determining if a second time associated with the first incremental change stored in the second database exceeds the restoration time; and

implementing the first incremental change to at least a portion of the information in the first database when the second time does not exceed the restoration time.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein the second database and the backup system reside on a single platform.