Netapp, Inc.

Samuel A Dillon

Ajay Pratap Singh Kushwah

Sumeeth Channaveerappa Kyathanahalli

Sudhindra Prasad Tirupati Nagaraj

Kshitij Wadhwa

A storage tier manager efficiently creates different representations of a dataset backup for different retention periods. Each of the representations of the dataset backup is distinctly identifiable despite initially representing a same dataset backup. The representations are structured metadata corresponding to the dataset backup. One representation is a cached backup version of the dataset backup ('cached backup' or 'cached representation') provided for low latency access while residing at a storage tier of the backup appliance for a relatively short retention period according to a lifecycle management policy. The other representation is a cloud backup version of the dataset backup (&#x201c;cloud backup&#x201d; or &#x201c;cloud representation&#x201d;) provided for persisting into cloud storage for a longer retention period according to the lifecycle management policy.

Efficient creation of multiple retention period based representations of a dataset backup

A storage tier manager creates different versions of a dataset backup for different retention periods. Each of the versions is distinctly identifiable despite initially representing a same dataset backup. One version can be referred to as a cached version of the dataset backup and another version can be referred to as a cloud version of the dataset backup. When the retention period expires for the cached version of the dataset backup, the storage tier manager migrates the cloud version of the dataset backup from the caching storage tier to the cloud storage tier. The storage tier manager can then recover storage space occupied by data that has been migrated, as long as that data is not shared with other cached versions of other dataset backups due to deduplication.

Managing storage space based on multiple dataset backup versions

A storage tier manager creates different representations of a dataset backup for different retention periods. Each of the representations of the dataset backup is distinctly identifiable despite initially representing a same dataset backup. The representations are structured metadata corresponding to the dataset backup. One representation is a cached backup version of the dataset backup ('cached backup' or 'cached representation') provided for low latency access while residing at a storage tier of the backup appliance for a relatively short retention period according to a lifecycle management policy. The other representation is a cloud backup version of the dataset backup (&#x201c;cloud backup&#x201d; or &#x201c;cloud representation&#x201d;) provided for persisting into cloud storage for a longer retention period according to the lifecycle management policy.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Samuel A Dillon