Digital data processor with improved backup storage

• US 5,276,860 A
• Filed: 12/19/1989
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Epoch Systems, Inc. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Epoch Systems, Inc. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Tracy M., Fortier, Richard W., Mastors, Robert M., Wallace, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baker, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US07/452,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 371/10.1, 364/285.1, 395/575
• US Class Current: 714/6.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents

Abstract

An improved backup storage system and method for use in conjunction with hierarchical or mass storage servers and networks is disclosed. Baseline, full and incremental backup procedures are used to save file copies. In one preferred embodiment, the baseline backup procedure is used to store copies of stable files, i.e. files that are modified less frequently, if at all. With a hierarchical storage server, such files are typically those stored on tertiary storage media, e.g. erasable optical disks, WORMs or magnetic tape. The full backup procedure stores, as full backup copies, copies of all files not in the baseline backup and files that have been changed since the time of their baseline backup. The full backup procedure also stores file identifiers and signal representative of storage locations of baseline backup copies for files which have not been changed since the time of the baseline backup. The incremental backup procedure stores, as incremental backup copies, copies of files not in the baseline or full backups, e.g., new files, and files that have changed since the time of their last backup (baseline, full or incremental). The incremental backup procedure also stores file identifiers and signals representative of storage locations of baseline backup copies for files which have not been changed since the time of the baseline backup, and also stores file identifiers and signals representative of storage locations of full and incremental backup copies for files which have not been changed since the time of their full or incremental backup.

Claims

1. A digital data processing system with improved backup storage comprising

A. memory means for storing one or more files comprising information-representative signals, each said file having a first characteristic, including a file identifier and zero, one or more attributes,

B. baseline-backup means, coupled to said memory means, for retrieving from said memory means files having a first selected characteristic and storing copies thereof, said copies being referred to as "baseline-backup" copies,

said baseline-backup means including means for generating signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said baseline-backup copies,

C. full-backup means, coupled to said memory means, for

(i) retrieving, from said memory means, files

a) for which baseline-backup copies are not stored, or

b) for which baseline-backup copies are stored, but which have been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means for storage as baseline-backup copies, and storing copies of said files or portions thereof, said copies being referred to as "full-backup" copies,

(ii) storing, along with said full-backup copies, said file identifiers and said signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said baseline-backup copies for files for which baseline-backup copies are stored, but which files have not been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means by said baseline-backup means for storing as baseline-backup copies.

2. A digital data processing system according to claim 1 comprising image recovery means for recovering one or more of a directory, a filesystem and a disk of said files from backup storage, said image recovery means comprising

A. means for retrieving all baseline-backup, full-backup and incremental-backup copies associated with files, including those representing directories, having a selected characteristic,

B. means for storing those files in said memory means, and

C. means for deleting only those directory-representative files for which copies are not stored in any baseline-backup, full-backup and incremental-backup copies stored on two or more successive dates.

3. A digital data processing system according to claim 1 comprising file recovery means for recovering a file from backup storage, said file recovery means comprising

A. means for retrieving one or more baseline-backup, full-backup and incremental-backup copies associated with a selected file,

B. generating therefrom information-representative signals comprising said file,

C. storing those information-representative signals in said memory means.

4. A digital data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said recovery means includes means for restoring residency information associated with files having one or more of tertiary storage or baseline-backup copies.

5. A digital data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said baseline-backup means comprises means for modifying a file characteristic associated with a file for which a baseline-backup copy is stored to include the storage location-representative signal associated with that file.

6. A digital data processing system according to claim 5, wherein said storage-location representative signal includes one or more file storage identifications, file storage starting offsets, and file storage lengths.

7. A digital data processing system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said baseline-backup means and said full-backup means includes means for sorting, respectively, said baseline-backup copies and said full-backup copies.

8. A digital data processing system according to claim 7, wherein said sorting means includes means for sorting said copies as a function, primarily, of volumes on which associated files are stored in said memory means and, secondarily, of locations of those files in those volumes.

9. A digital data processing system according to claim 1 further comprising

A. incremental-backup means for retrieving, from said memory means, files

(i) which have a second selected characteristic, and

(ii) which have been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means for storing as any of a baseline-backup, full-backup or incremental-backup copy

and for storing copies thereof, said copies being referred to as "incremental-backup" copies,

B. means for storing, along with said incremental-backup copies, said file identifiers and said signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said baseline-backup copies for files for which baseline-backup copies are stored, but which files have not been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means by said baseline-backup means for storing as baseline-backup copies, and

C. means for storing, along with said incremental-backup copies, file identifiers and said signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said full-backup copies and said incremental-backup copies for files which have been stored, but which files have not been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means by said full-backup or said incremental-backup means for storing as full-backup copies or incremental backup copies, respectively.

10. A digital data processing system according to claim 2, wherein said incremental backup means includes means for sorting said baseline-backup copies as a function, primarily, of volumes on which associated files are stored in said memory means and, secondarily, of locations of those files in those volumes.

11. A digital data processing system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said baseline-backup, full-backup and incremental backup means includes means for identifying a file that has been updated based upon a change in its write count.

12. A digital data processing system according to claim 1 wherein said first selected characteristic represents those files stored in said memory system that are less frequently updated.

13. A digital data processing system according to claim 12 wherein

A. said memory means comprises a hierarchical storage server comprising tertiary storage media, and

B. said first selected characteristic represents files stored on said tertiary storage media.

14. A digital data processing system according to claim 13 wherein said baseline-backup means includes

A. means for storing a baseline-backup copy on storage medium having associated therewith a volume identification,

B. means for modifying the characteristics of a file for which a baseline-backup copy is stored to reflect the volume identification of the storage medium upon which that baseline-backup copy is stored.

15. A digital data processing system according to claim 14 comprising means for treating baseline-backup copies as tertiary media-stored files.

16. A digital data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said baseline-backup means includes means for selecting said first selected characteristic to be substantially similar to a migration selection policy of said memory means.

17. A digital data processing system according to claim 16, wherein said baseline-backup means comprises compaction means for eliminating baseline backup-copies associated with at least selected files.

18. A digital data processing system according to claim 17, wherein said compaction means includes means for eliminating baseline-backup copies without retrieving information from media upon which they are stored.

19. A digital data processing system according to claim 17, wherein said compaction means includes means for eliminating baseline-backup copies associated with deleted files.

20. A method for operating a digital data processing system with improved backup storage, said method comprising the steps of

A. storing in a memory means one or more files comprising information-representative signals, each said file having a characteristic, including a filename and zero, one or more attributes,

B. retrieving from said memory means files having a first selected characteristic and storing copies thereof, said copies being referred to as "baseline-backup" copies, generating signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said baseline-backup copies,

C. retrieving, from said memory means, files

i) for which baseline-backup copies are not stored and which have a second selected characteristic, or

ii) for which baseline-backup copies are stored and which have been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means for storing as baseline-backup copies,

and storing copies of said files or portions thereof, said copies being referred to as "full-backup" copies, and

D. storing, along with said full-backup copies, said signals representative of storage locations of respective ones of said baseline-backup copies for files for which baseline-backup copies are stored, but which files have not been updated since a time of their retrieval from said memory means by said baseline-backup means for storing as baseline-backup copies.