Systems and methods for adaptively performing backup operations

1. A computer-implemented method for adaptively performing backup operations, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

identifying a storage system used for storage by a plurality of virtual machines;

identifying a request to perform a backup operation for a first virtual machine comprising at least one input/output operation, wherein the backup operation results in an increased input/output load on the storage system;

determining that an input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below a predetermined threshold in response to the increased input/output load resulting from the performance of the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

identifying at least one input/output operation of a second virtual machine;

delaying the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine in response to determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold such that the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine does not interfere with the backup operation of the first virtual machine.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein delaying the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine comprises reducing a bandwidth of input/output operations performed by the second virtual machine such that additional bandwidth is available for the first virtual machine.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein delaying the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine comprises:

creating a checkpoint in the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

pausing the backup operation of the first virtual machine for a predefined duration of time;

resuming the backup operation of the first virtual machine from the checkpoint after the predefined duration of time.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold comprises monitoring an input/output load on the storage system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the backup operation of the first virtual machine comprises reading a snapshot of data to back up from the storage system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the storage system comprises a storage cluster for the plurality of virtual machines.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adding the determination that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold to an input/output load history for the storage system;

adjusting a backup schedule for at least one future backup operation involving the storage system based on the input/output load history for the storage system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has exceeded an additional predetermined threshold;

expediting an additional input/output operation for the backup operation of the first virtual machine based on determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has exceeded the additional predetermined threshold.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the request to perform the backup operation for the first virtual machine comprises a request to copy a snapshot from the storage system to a backup storage location;

the input/output operation comprises a read operation performed on the storage system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:

the request to perform the backup operation for the first virtual machine comprises a request to restore a backup to the storage system;

the input/output operation comprises a write operation to the storage system.

11. A system for adaptively performing backup operations, the system comprising:

an identification module programmed to identify a storage system used for storage by a plurality of virtual machines;

a request module programmed to identify a request to perform a backup operation for a first virtual machine comprising at least one input/output operation, wherein the backup operation results in an increased input/output load on the storage system;

a determination module programmed to determine that an input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below a predetermined threshold in response to the increased input/output load resulting from the performance of the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

an additional identification module programmed to identify at least one input/output operation of a second virtual machine;

a delay module programmed to delay at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine in response to determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold such that the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine does not interfere with the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

at least one processor configured to execute the identification module, the request module, the determination module, the additional identification module, and the delay module.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the delay module is programmed to delay the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine by reducing a bandwidth of input/output operations performed by the second virtual machine such that the additional bandwidth is available for the first virtual machine.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the delay module is programmed to delay the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine by:

creating a checkpoint in the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

pausing the backup operation of the first virtual machine for a predefined duration of time;

resuming the backup operation of the first virtual machine from the checkpoint after the predefined duration of time.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the determination module is programmed to determine that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold by monitoring an input/output load on the storage system.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the backup operation of the first virtual machine comprises reading a snapshot of data to back up from the storage system.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the storage system comprises a storage cluster for the plurality of virtual machines.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the delay module is further programmed to:

add the determination that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold to an input/output load history for the storage system;

adjust a backup schedule for at least one future backup operation involving the storage system based on the input/output load history for the storage system.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the delay module is further programmed to:

determine that the input/output capacity of the storage system has exceeded an additional predetermined threshold;

expedite an additional input/output operation for the backup operation of the first virtual machine based on determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has exceeded the additional predetermined threshold.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the request to perform the backup operation of the first virtual machine comprises a request to copy a snapshot from the storage system to a backup storage location;

the input/output operation comprises a read operation performed on the storage system.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

identify a storage system used for storage by a plurality of virtual machines;

identify a request to perform a backup operation for a first virtual machine comprising at least one input/output operation, wherein the backup operation results in an increased input/output load on the storage system;

determine that an input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below a predetermined threshold in response to the increased input/output load resulting from the performance of the backup operation of the first virtual machine;

identify at least one input/output operation of a second virtual machine;

delay the at least one input/output operation of the second virtual machine in response to determining that the input/output capacity of the storage system has fallen below the predetermined threshold such that the input/output operation of the second virtual machine does not interfere with the backup operation of the first virtual machine.