Systems and methods for storing, backing up and recovering computer data files

• US 20060179083A1
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDrive Inc.
• Original Assignee: IDrive Inc.
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Raghavendra, Ramani, Rajesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

A system and method for storing computer files in a destination file is described, which may be an incremental backup system. File headers related to the files may be stored in a file index separate from a data file, or subsequent versions may be stored in the same data file while maintaining earlier versions. File headers may include locations of files, checksums, metadata about individual blocks corresponding to the data files. A system may include a client application program stored on a client computer, a network, and a server software program on a destination computer. Embodiments may include compression, encryption, or both, performed by the client application program. Files may be divided into blocks, and metadata may include locations of blocks. Files may be restored from the destination computer to the source computer.

Claims

1. A method of storing computer data files comprising in any order the steps of:

obtaining computer data files;

storing the computer data files in a destination data file;

storing file headers related to the computer data files in a file index that is a separate file from the destination data file, the file headers including a location of the destination data file and checksum information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of compressing the computer data files.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of encrypting the computer data files.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of dividing the computer data files into a plurality of blocks of data, wherein the file headers include locations of the plurality of blocks of data.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the computer data files over a network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a plurality of versions of the computer data files in the same destination data file.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer data files are obtained from a source computer and are stored on a separate destination computer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of restoring the computer data files from the destination computer to the source computer.

9. A system for storing computer data files comprising:

a client application program stored on a client computer and configured to transmit the computer data files over a network; and

a destination computer configured to receive the computer data files via the network and store the computer data files in at least one destination data file and at least one separate file index.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the client application program is configured to compress the computer data files before transmitting the computer data files over the network.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the client application program is configured to encrypt the computer data files before transmitting the computer data files over the network.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the client application program is configured to divide the computer data files into a plurality of blocks of data, and wherein the file index includes locations on the destination computer of the plurality of blocks of data.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a plurality of versions of the computer data files are stored in the same destination data file.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the client application program and the destination computer are configured to restore the computer data files to the source computer.

15. A method of storing computer data files comprising in any order the steps of:

obtaining computer data files;

storing the computer data files in a destination data file; and

storing subsequent versions of the computer data files in the destination data file while maintaining earlier versions of the computer data files in the destination data file.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of compressing the computer data files.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of encrypting the computer data files.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of dividing the computer data files into a plurality of blocks of data.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of transmitting the computer data files over a network.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of storing metadata in a file index separate from the destination data file.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the computer data files are obtained from a source computer and stored on a destination computer.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of restoring the computer data files from the destination computer to the source computer.