Datto, Inc.

Kaseya Limited

Stuart Mark

Robert P Loce

Robert J Gibbons, Jr

William Robert Speirs, Ii

Neale Campbell Hutcheson, Jr

Faury Francisco Rodriguez

Charles John Barrett

Edward Boren

A method for generating a crash-consistent backup of a source volume includes designating certain blocks of an operating source volume to be copied to a target volume, copying the designated blocks from the source volume to the target volume; initiating a time-based tracking process and detecting writes to blocks of the source volume. Using the time-based tracking process to maintain a time-ordered list of blocks that are written to during the copying of blocks to the target volume and to determine when the blocks on the target volume are in a sane state that permits a crash-consistent backup. After the designated blocks are copied, using the time-ordered list to continue copying blocks to the target volume. After the time-tracking process determines the blocks on the target volume are crash consistent (i.e., in a sane state), a snapshot can be transferred to a backup volume and time-tagged as a crash-consistent backup.

Method for generating crash-consistent backup of source volume and apparatus associated therewith

Described methods and systems for copying a source volume to a target volume that include a combination of concurrent copying and a copy-on-write (COW) technique that improves the reliability of the backup process and requires fewer resources during a given backup instance than the processes of the prior art.

Copy-on-write systems and methods

The Source Volume Backup with Predictive and Lookahead Optimizations Apparatuses, Methods and Systems ('SVBAF') transforms backup request inputs via SVBAF components into backup response outputs. A set of blocks to be copied from a source volume to a target volume is designated based on predictive optimization settings and copied based on lookahead optimization settings while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume. Blocks of the source volume that were written to by the operating system are identified. A determination is made whether to enter a CoW mode. If the CoW mode should not be entered, the designated set of blocks is changed to include at least one of the identified blocks and a pass is repeated. Otherwise, the operating system is instructed to enter the CoW mode and bring the target volume into a state consistent with a state of the source volume.

Source volume backup with predictive and lookahead optimizations apparatuses, methods and systems

The Dynamically Determined Difference Regions Apparatuses, Methods and Systems ('DDDR') transforms backup configuration request, backup data read response inputs via DDDR components into backup configuration response, changed blocks update request outputs. A write command for a data block to write to a data volume is detected. A data volume address of the data block is determined. A superset range associated with the data volume address is determined. Upon determining that the written-to flag of the superset range is set: extend a previously established written-to subset range within the superset range to include the data volume address when it is determined that the data volume address is not within the previously established written-to subset range. Upon determining that the written-to flag is not set: set the written-to flag and establish a new written-to subset range within the superset range that includes the data volume address. Execute the write command.

Dynamically determined difference regions apparatuses, methods and systems

The Source Volume Backup with Adaptive Finalization Apparatuses, Methods and Systems ('SVBAF') transforms backup request inputs via SVBAF components into backup response outputs. A set of blocks to be copied from a source volume to a target volume is designated and copied while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume. Blocks of the source volume that were written to by the operating system while the operating system was configured to write to the source volume are identified. Finalization settings are analyzed to determine whether to enter a CoW mode. If the CoW mode should not be entered, the designated set of blocks is changed to include at least one of the identified blocks and a pass is repeated. Otherwise, the operating system is instructed to enter the CoW mode and bring the target volume into a state consistent with a state of the source volume.

Source volume backup with adaptive finalization apparatuses, methods and systems

The present disclosure is directed at systems and methods for copying a source volume to a target volume. The disclosed systems/methods facilitate copying the source volume to the target volume while an operating system is configured to write to the source volume, while ensuring that the resulting copy in the target volume represents a crash-consistent state of the source volume at a single point in time. According to some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods reduce the amount of time that the operating system writing to the source volume spends in copy-on-write mode. The disclosed systems/methods can decrease the performance burden on the operating system (e.g., free up processing resources at the operating system for other tasks), while also decreasing the amount of memory required for the copying process.

Systems and methods for copying an operating source volume

This disclosure and the exemplary embodiments described herein, provide methods and systems to trace/verify kernel calls of interest operatively associated with an operating system platform of a device. According to an exemplary embodiment, the mount/unmount kernel call associated with a Linux operating system platform is traced/verified to initiate an incremental backup of a memory of a device during the execution of the mount/unmount kernel call.

Growing community of inventors

Chappaqua, NY, United States of America

Stuart Mark