International Business Machines Corporation

Google Inc.

William Robert Haselton

Christopher John Stakutis

Kevin Michael Stearns

Toby Lyn Marek

Alan L Stuart

David Gregory Van Hise

Jennifer Martin Shaw

Described are embodiments of an invention for prioritizing data items for backup in a computing environment. The computing environment includes a plurality of clients coupled through a network to a backup system for backing up items stored locally on the client. Each client includes a continuous data protection (CDP) module that prioritizes the order of files transmitted to the backup system for storage on one or more storage devices based on policy. The CDP module builds an initial backup list and a CDP backup list. The initial backup list includes any item that meets the criteria of the initial backup profile. The CDP backup list includes items that have been modified since the initial backup process began. The data that is the most critical to a user is often the most recently modified data. Thus, the CDP module preferentially performs a backup of items on the CDP backup list.

Prioritization of data items for backup in a computing environment

Provided are a method, system, and program for archiving files. A hierarchical file system having directories is provided. An archival retention policy is associated with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy.

Method, system, and program for archiving files

A backup program, method and system is disclosed that monitors changes to a file in a storage, checks whether backup settings related to the file already exist and requests and applies backup settings related to the file in response to the file being changed if they do not. The backup settings are applied to control operation of a backup system to make one or more backup copies of the file. The backup settings may be electively saved to be applied automatically in the event of future changes to the file without requesting the settings. One or more lists may be used to identify (e.g. include or exclude) files for backup. Files may be identified by different categories including file name, file type, or file type group associated with a particular application. A typical backup system may save backup copies to a storage area network, e.g. controlled by a backup server.

Determining which user files to backup in a backup system

Method, system and program for archiving files

Provided are a method, system, and program for processing a request to update a file in a file system with update data. The update request to a target file that is directed to the file system is processed, wherein the target file is in a mirror copy relationship with a mirror file. A determination is made as to whether a copy operation from the target file to the mirror file is in progress and whether bytes to update in the target file have been copied to the mirror file in response to determining that the copy operation is in progress. The update data is copied to the bytes to update in the target file in response to determining that the bytes to update have not been copied to the mirror file, wherein the update data is subsequently copied to the mirror file during subsequent progress of the copy operation.

Processing a request to update a file in a file system with update data

Provided are a method, system, and program for migrating source data to target data. A write request is received to write application data to source data not yet migrated to the target data. Information is generated for the write request indicating the source data to which the application data is written. The application data is written to the source data. A request is received to migrate source data to target data and indication is returned to retry the request to migrate in response to determining that the requested source data to migrate overlaps source data indicated in the generated information for one write request.

System, method, and program for determining if write data overlaps source data within a data migration scheme

Provided are a method, system and program for maintaining and using information on updates to a data group after a logical copy is made of the data group. A first logical copy of a data group in a storage at a first point-in-time is established. The first logical copy maintains data to reconstruct the data group as of the first point-in time after the data group has been updated following the first-point-in time. Indication is made of regions of the data group updated at the storage after establishing the first logical copy. A second logical copy of the data group in the storage at a second point-in-time is established. The second logical copy maintains data to reconstruct the data group as of the second point-in time after the data group has been updated following the second point-in time. The indicated regions of the data group updated between the first and second points-in-time are saved in a change list.

Maintaining and using information on updates to a data group after a logical copy is made of the data group

Provided are a method, system, and program that processes a file request to operate on a target file that is directed to a file system. A determination is made as to whether a rule specifies a file attribute satisfied by the target file. In response to determining that the target file satisfies the file attribute of the determined rule, a determination is made as to whether a condition specified by the determined rule is satisfied. In response to determining that the condition is satisfied, an action specified by the determined rule is performed. The file request is forwarded to the file system to execute if the rule does not inhibit the file request.

Method, system, and program for processing a file request

Methods and apparatus for accessing files on networked digital data processing system provide for plurality of digital data processing nodes and a storage device, e.g., a disk drive, a &ldquo;jukebox,&rdquo; other mass storage device or other mapped device (collectively referred to herein after as &ldquo;disk drive&rdquo; or &ldquo;storage device&rdquo;). First and second ones of the nodes, which may be a client and a server node, respectively, are coupled for communication over a first communications pathway, e.g., a LAN or other network. Both the first and the second nodes are in communication coupling with the storage device over the same or different logical or physical communications pathways. A file system or other functionality in the second (server) node receives and responds to at least selected requests&mdash;e.g., file OPEN requests&mdash;from the first (client) node for access to a file on the storage device, by generating a &ldquo;lease&rdquo;. The lease includes a block map or other administrative data (referred to elsewhere herein as &ldquo;meta data&rdquo;) for the requested file, as well as an expiry time indicating how long the administrative data is valid. Upon grant of the lease, the client node accesses the storage device using the block map or other administrative data supplied with the lease. The server node assures that this administrative data remains valid for the period of the lease, e.g., such that the client node may directly access the requested file without risk that another node (or the server itself) has changed it. Correspondingly, the client node ceases utilization of the administrative data (and, presumably, ceases at least direct access of the file) after lease expiry.

Growing community of inventors

Peabody, MA, United States of America

William Robert Haselton