Intelligent inclusion or exclusion of data from a backup set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12026058-B2
Application number	US-202217952451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2022
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for predicting what files and/or folders will be skipped during a backup based on the file system's meta-data. Various embodiments of the invention may determine based on a file system's meta-data that specific files and/or folders will not be backed up in accordance with a backup's current rules or configuration. The aforementioned information can then be used to notify a user or administrator what files and/or folders will not be backed up and based on that notification, they may make changes to the backup's current rules or configuration. This advantageously provides the user or administrator knowledge of gaps in the protection provided by a backup and the ability to configure it to meet their needs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for performing a backup, the method comprising:
initiating, by a user of a target production host, a backup of the target production host;
using at least meta-data of a file system of the target production host, to produce a plurality of backup scenarios,
wherein each of the plurality of backup scenarios comprises a time to perform a backup operation associated with the one of the plurality of backup scenarios, wherein the time to perform the backup operation associated with a backup scenario of the plurality of backup scenarios is determined using average times that have been determined for previous backup operations associated with the backup scenario;
wherein the plurality of backup scenarios is based on one or more predetermined rules associated with at least one of the plurality of backup scenarios, and
wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises an encryption status and a time of last modification specified in the meta-data of the file system, wherein the meta-data is associated with files in the file system;

displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user;
receiving from the user instructions to modify one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios;

modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios as instructed by the user;
displaying the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios to the user;
receiving from the user a selection of one of the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios; and
performing the backup of the target production host based on the selection of one of the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user comprises displaying one or more files or folders that will not be backed up in at least one of the plurality of backup scenarios.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user comprises of displaying the plurality of backup scenarios on an interactive graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios further comprises of receiving from the user a change to the one or more predetermined rules associated with the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a result of the changes to the one or more predetermined rules associated with the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios, is displayed to the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios further comprises of receiving from the user an instruction to include or exclude at least one of the files or folders in the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta-data is obtained during a discovery that is performed periodically.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for performing a backup, the method comprising:
initiating, by a user of a target production host, a backup of the target production host;
using at least meta-data of a file system of the target production host, to produce a plurality of backup scenarios,
wherein each of the plurality of backup scenarios comprises a time to perform a backup operation associated with the one of the plurality of backup scenarios, wherein the time to perform the backup operation associated with a backup scenario of the plurality of backup scenarios is determined using average times that have been determined for previous backup operations associated with the backup scenario;
wherein the plurality of backup scenarios is based on one or more predetermined rules associated with at least one of the plurality of backup scenarios, and
wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises an encryption status and a time of last modification specified in the meta-data of the file system, wherein the meta-data is associated with files in the file system;

displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user;
receiving from the user instructions to modify one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios;
modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios as instructed by the user;
displaying the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios to the user;
receiving from the user a selection of one of the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios; and
performing the backup of the target production host based on the selection of one of the modified one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user comprises displaying one or more files or folders that will not be backed up in at least one of the plurality of backup scenarios.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user comprises of displaying the plurality of backup scenarios on an interactive graphical user interface.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios further comprises of receiving from the user a change to the one or more predetermined rules associated with the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein a result of the changes to the one or more predetermined rules associated with the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios, is displayed to the user.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios further comprises of receiving from the user an instruction to include or exclude at least one of the files and/or folders in the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios.

14. A system comprising:
a storage device associated with a target production host which includes a target file system comprising of files and folders;
a processor; and
memory comprising instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform a method for performing a backup comprising:
initiating, by a user of a target production host, a backup of the target production host;
using at least meta-data of a file system of the target production host, to produce a plurality of backup scenarios,
wherein each of the plurality of backup scenarios comprises a time to perform a backup operation associated with the one of the plurality of backup scenarios, wherein the time to perform the backup operation associated with a backup scenario of the plurality of backup scenarios is determined using average times that have been determined for previous backup operations associated with the backup scenario;
wherein the plurality of backup scenarios is based on one or more predetermined rules associated with at least one of the plurality of backup scenarios, and
wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises an encryption status and a time of last modification specified in the meta-data of the file system, wherein the meta-data is associated with files in the file system;

displaying the plurality of backup scenarios to the user;
receiving from the user instructions to modify one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios;
modifying the one or more of the plurality of backup scenarios as instructed by the user;
displaying the modifie

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp
• Dell Products

Inventors

• Yadav Sunil
• Chopra Shelesh

Classifications

• G06F16/164

  File meta data generation · CPC title

• G06F2201/84

  Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data · CPC title

• G06F11/1451 Primary

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• G06F11/1448

  Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore · CPC title

• G06F11/1461

  Backup scheduling policy · CPC title