International Business Machines Corporation

Peter B Symonds

James Patrick Smith

Avishai Haim Hochberg

Robert Clair Edwards, Jr

Jean Xu Yu

William Roy Yonker

Joanne T Nguyen

Neil Gregory Rasmussen

Tai Woo Nam

Jawed Iqbal

Surya K Ghatty

Edward M Barton

During a data protection operation, a system exploits a virtual hierarchy to centralize the configuration and management of operating system credentials of numerous virtual guests. For each virtual guest, the system uses the credential to collect a single Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) previously generated and stored in-guest by any data protection agent. The system stores the collected GUID as a custom property in the context of the virtual hierarchy. The system also exploits the virtual hierarchy custom properties to determine if GUIDs are copies due to virtual guest replication. The system ensures GUID uniqueness by requesting regeneration of the GUID by in-guest data protection agents. Using GUIDs that are unique across the virtual hierarchy, the system can correlate application data of multiple in-guest data protection agents.

Data protection backup agent management

Provided are computer program product, system, and method for assessing a backup image comprising a backup of a source computer system to recover to a target computer system. A point-in-time backup image is selected from a plurality of backup images taken of an image on the source computer system, wherein the selected backup is to be applied to the target computer system. A determination is made from a plurality of retention policies applicable to files included in the source computer system a most restrictive retention policy. A determination is made as to whether the selected backup image satisfies the most restrictive retention policy. A retention status of the backup image is set based on whether the determined version of the selected backup satisfies the most restrictive retention policy. The retention status is presented for use in determining whether to use the selected backup image.

Determining whether a selected backup set satisfies a retention policy

One aspect of the invention is a method for ensuring consistency of a group, which for example, includes receiving a first list that identifies objects in the group, and gathering for at least one attribute, the value of the attribute for each object in the first list. The first list, and the attribute values gathered in the gathering operation, are stored to create a first snapshot. This example also includes receiving a second list that identifies objects that are in the group after at least part of a task is performed, and the value after at least part of the task is performed of the at least one attribute for each object identified in the second list. The second list and the received attribute values are stored to create a second snapshot, which is compared with the first snapshot.

Method and system for ensuring consistency of a group

Growing community of inventors

Portola Valley, CA, United States of America

Peter B Symonds