Systems and methods for retaining and using data block signatures in data protection operations
First Claim
1. A method for performing an auxiliary copy operation, comprising:
- for each data block of a plurality of data blocks involved in a backup storage operation, with one or more processors comprising computer hardware, associating a signature value corresponding to the data block with one or more of a copy of the data block and a reference to a copy of the data block to form a signature/data word corresponding to the data block, wherein at least some of the signature/data words include the signature value corresponding to the data block and a reference to a copy of the data block that is stored in another signature/data word, but do not include a copy of the data block;
logically organizing the signature/data words into a plurality of files, each file of the plurality of files comprising at least one signature/data word such that the signature values are embedded in the file;
storing the plurality of files comprising the embedded signatures in at least one first storage device;
with one or more processors comprising computer hardware, in response to an instruction to perform an auxiliary copy of at least one file of the plurality of files from the first storage device to at least one second storage device, and for each signature/data word in the at least one file;
reading the embedded signature value corresponding to the signature/data word from the first storage device;
transmitting the signature value;
subsequent to said transmitting the signature value, receiving an indication as to whether a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value exists at the second storage device; and
reading a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does not exist at the second storage device, wherein a copy of the data block is not read from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does exist at the second storage device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system according to certain embodiments associates a signature value corresponding to a data block with one or more data blocks and a reference to the data block to form a signature/data word corresponding to the data block. The system further logically organizes the signature/data words into a plurality of files each comprising at least one signature/data word such that the signature values are embedded in the respective file. The system according to certain embodiments reads a previously stored signature value corresponding to a respective data block for sending from a backup storage system having at least one memory device to a secondary storage system. Based on an indication as to whether the data block is already stored on the secondary storage system, the system reads the data block from the at least one memory device for sending to the secondary storage system if the data block exists on the secondary storage system, wherein the signature value and not the data block is read from the at least one memory device if the data block exists on the secondary storage system.
277 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for performing an auxiliary copy operation, comprising:
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for each data block of a plurality of data blocks involved in a backup storage operation, with one or more processors comprising computer hardware, associating a signature value corresponding to the data block with one or more of a copy of the data block and a reference to a copy of the data block to form a signature/data word corresponding to the data block, wherein at least some of the signature/data words include the signature value corresponding to the data block and a reference to a copy of the data block that is stored in another signature/data word, but do not include a copy of the data block; logically organizing the signature/data words into a plurality of files, each file of the plurality of files comprising at least one signature/data word such that the signature values are embedded in the file; storing the plurality of files comprising the embedded signatures in at least one first storage device; with one or more processors comprising computer hardware, in response to an instruction to perform an auxiliary copy of at least one file of the plurality of files from the first storage device to at least one second storage device, and for each signature/data word in the at least one file; reading the embedded signature value corresponding to the signature/data word from the first storage device; transmitting the signature value; subsequent to said transmitting the signature value, receiving an indication as to whether a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value exists at the second storage device; and reading a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does not exist at the second storage device, wherein a copy of the data block is not read from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does exist at the second storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for performing an auxiliary copy operation, comprising:
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one or more processors comprising computer hardware; and a data packaging module executing in the one or more processors and configured to; for each data block of a plurality of data blocks involved in a backup storage operation, associate a signature value corresponding to the data block with one or more of a copy of the data block and a reference to a copy of the data block to form a signature/data word corresponding to the data block; and logically organize the signature/data words into a plurality of files, each file of the plurality of files comprising at least one signature/data word such that the signature values are embedded in the file; and store the plurality of files comprising the embedded signatures in at least one first storage device; and an auxiliary copy management module executing in the one or more processors and configured to, in response to an instruction to perform an auxiliary copy of at least one file of the plurality of files from the first storage device to at least one second storage device, and for each signature/data word in the at least one file; read the embedded signature value corresponding to the signature/data word from the first storage device; transmit the signature value; subsequent to transmitting the signature value, receive an indication as to whether a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value exists at the second storage device; and read a copy of the data block corresponding to the signature value from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does not exist at the second storage device, wherein a copy of the data block is not read from the first storage device if a copy of the data block does exist at the second storage device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification