Epoch Systems, Inc.

Emc Corporation

John J Wallace

Madhav Mutalik

Edgar J St Pierre

Tracy M Taylor

Alton Gill

Robert M Mastors

Richard W Fortier

David Noveck

Gregory Kenley

Neil F Webber

James Pownell

Chuck Holland

George Ericson

Method and apparatus for backing up and restoring data in a computer storage system are disclosed. Data segments are backed up before they are updated. The segments may correspond to physical segments of storage in the computer system. Restoration may proceed by determining which segments have changed since a target time, and retrieving the data backed up from that time. The backups may be stored as differential backups&mdash;saving only segments of data that are about to be changed.

Method and apparatus for backing up data before updating the data and for restoring from the backups

Method and apparatus for backing up and restoring data in a computer storage system are disclosed. Changes to segments of memory in a primary copy are tracked. The segments may correspond to how the data is physically stored. Restoration may proceed by returning only those segments that are changed in the primary copy to their state at previous point in time. The backup used for the previous point in time may be a full system backup or a differential backup. A differential backup is one that backs up some segments of memory, but not all of the segments of memory in an element being backed up.

Method and apparatus for undoing changes to computer memory

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.

Digital data processor with improved backup storage

A digital data storage apparatus has primary, secondary and backing storage elements characterized by respectively longer access times. A level detector signals when the quantity of data in the secondary store exceeds a threshold amount. A data migrator responds by moving selected data files from the secondary store to the backing store. The apparatus also includes a baseline back-up element that stores archive copies of a set of selected data files. A full back-up element stores archive copies of those files that, (1) were originally copied to the baseline back-up set but have since changed, or (2) are not otherwise within the baseline back-up set. For those files which were originally copied to the baseline back-up set and which have not changed, the full back-up element stores pointers indicating locations of the respective files in the baseline back-up set.

Digital data storage system with improved data migration

A file server system selectively stores and provides access to files across a local network. The system utilizes adaptive request batching, disk pre-allocation, and shadow inode logic to enable data writing operations to be executed at high speed, while conforming to stateless protocol requirements.

File server system having high-speed write execution

Growing community of inventors

Franklin, MA, United States of America

John J Wallace