Techniques for system backup

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10140187-B1
Application number	US-201514788241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

Techniques for system backup are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method including identifying a particular characteristic of a particular modification of a default automated procedure for selecting files to include in an off-site backup, wherein the identifying is based at least in part on an aggregation of data from many client devices as to how each of many users deviated from the default automated selection procedure; receiving a first system profile for a first client device; identifying the particular characteristic in the first system profile; and based on identifying the particular characteristic in the first system profile, applying a modified default automated selection procedure to the first client device, the modified default automated selection procedure including the particular modification identified with the particular characteristic.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for performing a backup procedure, the method comprising:
accessing, by a processing device, a data storage device storing data associated with backup procedures performed for a plurality of computing devices, each of the computing devices corresponding to a user of a plurality of users, wherein said data is an aggregation of data from a plurality of client devices indicative of how users deviated from a default backup procedure and system profile data corresponding to the plurality of client devices;
analyzing, by the processing device, the data associated with the backup procedures to identify customizations applied to the backup procedures by the users, the customizations comprising manual modifications made by the users to default backup procedures of the plurality of computing devices;
correlating, by the processing device, system profile data of each of the plurality of client devices associated with the backup procedures with corresponding deviations from default backup procedures;
receiving a request from a first client device associated with a given user to perform a backup of data stored on the first client device, the given user not being one of said users;
receiving a first system profile corresponding to the first client device, the first system profile including an indication of one or more characteristics of the data stored on the first client device;
in response to determining the first system profile does not include a characteristic that correlates with the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures, performing a given default backup procedure of the backup data stored on the first client device; and
in response to determining the first system profile does include a characteristic that correlates with the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures:
automatically modifying, without intervention by the given user, the given default backup procedure to generate a modified backup procedure different from the given default backup procedure; and
performing the modified backup procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular characteristic is the presence of a particular application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first system profile does include a characteristic that matches the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures comprises:
determining the first system profile indicates the data stored on the first client device includes files having a particular extension type that is not automatically identified for backup by the given default backup procedure; and
determining the manual modifications made by the users include an indication to backup files having the particular extension type.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the processing device, backup policies including both the given default backup procedure and the modified backup procedure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the given default backup procedure to generate a modified backup procedure comprises modifying the default backup procedure to include one or more files reflecting recent user interaction with the one or more files.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular characteristic is one or more of a an identification of a given application stored on the first client device, demographic data associated with a user of the first client device, and a type of data stored on the first client device.

7. At least one non-transitory processor readable storage medium storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1 .

8. An article of manufacture comprising:
at least one processor readable storage medium; and
instructions stored on the at least one medium;
wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the at least one medium by at least one processor and thereby cause the at least one processor to operate so as to:
access a data storage device storing data associated with backup procedures performed for a plurality of computing devices, each of the computing devices corresponding to a user of a plurality of users, wherein said data is an aggregation of data from a plurality of client devices indicative of how users deviated from a default backup procedure and system profile data corresponding to the plurality of client devices;
analyze the data associated with the backup procedures to identify customizations applied to the backup procedures by the users, the customizations comprising manual modifications made by the users to default backup procedures of the plurality of computing devices;
correlate system profile data of each of the plurality of client devices associated with the backup procedures with corresponding deviations from default backup procedures;
receive a request from a first client device associated with a given user to perform a backup of data stored on the first client device, the given user not being one of said users;
receive a first system profile corresponding to the first client device, the first system profile including an indication of one or more characteristics of the data stored on the first client device;
in response to determining the first system profile does not include a characteristic that correlates with the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures, performing a given default backup procedure of the backup data stored on the first client device; and
in response to determining the first system profile does include a characteristic that correlates with the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures:
automatically modify, without intervention by the given user, the given default backup procedure to generate a modified backup procedure different from the given default backup procedure; and
perform the modified backup procedure.

9. The article of claim 8 , wherein the particular characteristic is the presence of a particular application.

10. The article of claim 8 , wherein to determine the first system profile does include a characteristic that matches the one or more characteristics of the system profile data associated with the backup procedures, the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
determine the first system profile indicates the data stored on the first client device includes files having a particular extension type that is not automatically identified for backup by the given default backup procedure; and
determine the manual modifications made by the users include an indication to backup files having the particular extension type.

11. The article of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to provide backup policies including both the given default backup procedure and the modified backup procedure.

12. The article of claim 8 , wherein modifying the given default backup procedure to generate a modified backup procedure comprises modifying the default backup procedure to include one or more files reflecting recent user interaction with the one or more files.

13. The article of claim 8 , wherein the particular characteristic is a one or more of an identification of a given application stored on the first client device, demographic data associated with a user of the first client device, and a type of data stored on the first clie

Assignees

• Symantec Corp

Inventors

• Chan Leo
• Sokolov Ilya

Classifications

• G06F11/1458 Primary

  Management of the backup or restore process · CPC title

• G06F11/1451

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• G06F11/1464

  for networked environments · CPC title

• G06F11/3062

  where the monitored property is the power consumption (power management in a computing system G06F1/3203) · CPC title

• G06F16/2365 Primary

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title