Method and system of distributed backup for computer devices in a network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442803-B2
Application number	US-201414313040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Jun 24, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A method and a distributed backup system for data backup are provided. The distributed backup system comprises a plurality of computer devices connected by a network. In the system, one of the computer devices comprises a program for managing data backup in the distributed data backup system. In the system, one of the computer devices comprises a first storage space for storing its own files and a second storage space for storing backup files of other computer devices. In the system, the one of the computer devices comprises a first database for storing metadata files of its own files and a second database for storing metadata files of the backup files of the other computer devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for data backup in a distributed backup system, the distributed backup system comprising a plurality of computer devices connected by a network, the method comprising:
a software distribution system in the network detecting whether one of the computer devices has a backup agent;
the software distribution system installing the backup agent, in response to that the one of the computer devices does not have the backup agent;
the software distribution system configuring the backup agent according to backup policies in the network;
backup agents on the computer devices identifying and authenticating each other;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices storing, on a first storage space of the one of the computer devices, a file of the one of the computer devices;
the backup agents on other ones of the computer devices storing, on respective first storage spaces of the other ones of the computer devices, respective files of the other ones of the computer devices;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices sending a backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices to one or more of the other ones of the computer devices;
the backup agents on the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices storing, on respective second storage spaces of the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices, the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices;
the backup agents on the other ones of the computer devices sending, to the one of the computer devices, backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices storing, on a second storage space of the one of the computer devices, the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to the file of the one of the computer devices being lost on the first storage space of the one of the computer devices, the backup agent on the one of the computer devices requesting the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices to provide the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices receiving, from the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices, the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices restoring, on the first storage space of the one of the computer devices, the file of the one of the computer devices.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a file system of the one of the computer devices being lost, the backup agent on the one of the computer devices requesting the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices to provide data of the file system of the one of the computer devices;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices receiving the data from the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices reconstructing the file system of the one of the computer devices, based on the data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices storing, on a first database of the one of the computer devices, a metadata file of the file of the one of the computer devices; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices storing, on a second database of the one of the computer devices, metadata files of the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agents on the other ones of the computer devices storing, on respective first databases of the other ones of the computer devices, metadata files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices; and
the backup agents on the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices storing, on respective second databases of the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices, a metadata file of the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices detecting deletion of the file of the one of the computer devices from the first storage space of the one of the computer devices;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices requesting the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices to update status of the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices; and
the backup agents on the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices marking, in metadata files on respective second databases of the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices, the status as inactive.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices determining whether the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices have expired; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices deleting the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices and metadata files thereof, in response to determining that the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices have expired;
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices determining whether the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices has expired; and
the backup agent on the one of the computer devices deleting a metadata file of the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices, in response to determining that the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices has expired.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agents on the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices determining whether the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices has expired; and
the backup agents on the one or more of the other ones of the computer devices deleting the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices and a metadata file thereof, in response to determining that the backup file of the file of the one of the computer devices has expired.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the backup agents on the other ones of the computer devices determining whether the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices have expired; and
the backup agents on the other ones of the computer devices deleting metadata files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices, in response to determining that the backup files of the respective files of the other ones of the computer devices have expired.

10. A distributed data backup system, the system comprising:
a plurality of computer devices connected by a network;
one of the computer devices comprising a backup agent for managing data backup in the distributed data backup system, wherein the backup agent is installed by a software distribution system in the network, wherein the backup agent is configured by the software distribution system according to backup policies in the network;
the one of the computer devices comprising a first storage space for storing its own files;
the one of the computer devices comprising a second storage space for storing backup files of respective files of other ones of the computer devices;
the one of the computer devices comprising a first database for storing metadata files of its own files; and
the one of the computer devices comprising a second database for storing metadata files of the backup files of the respective files of the other ones

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Rueger Erik
• Scheideler Tim U

Classifications

• G06F2201/84

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

• G06F11/1446 Primary

  Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data · CPC title

• H04L67/1097 Primary

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• G06F16/182

  Distributed file systems · CPC title

• G06F11/1456

  Hardware arrangements for backup · CPC title