Method and system for copying backup data
View Patent ↗A method and system for copying backup data is disclosed. Backup data may be copied to a first virtual tape library in the same format as it would be copied to a physical tape library. The backup data may also be electronically copied to a second virtual tape library or to a physical tape library.
1. A method for copying backup data comprising:
copying backup data from a data protection application to an on-site virtual tape library wherein the data protection application writes to the virtual tape library as if it were writing to a physical tape library;
wherein a log is kept of all the write operations made while the data is copied to the on-site virtual tape library in order to create additional copies without the use of the data protection application; and
electronically transmitting the data from the on-site virtual tape library to an off-site storage medium, wherein a restore operation may be performed using the data transmitted to the off-site storage medium.
2. method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium using an authenticated connection.
3. method of claim 2 wherein the on-site virtual tape library and off-site storage medium use a predetermined sequence and format for transmitting the data.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the on-site virtual tape library is a disk based repository for backup data that serves to backup data in the same manner as a physical tape library.
5. method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium over a computer network.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium over the internet.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium over an intranet.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium over a direct link between the on-site virtual tape library and the off-site storage medium.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site storage medium over a wireless communication system.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the off-site storage medium is a virtual tape library.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the off-site storage medium is a physical tape library.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the data on the on-site virtual tape library is preserved after the data is sent to the off-site storage medium.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the data on the on-site virtual tape library is deleted after the data is sent to the off-site storage medium.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is multimedia data.
15. A method for copying backup data comprising:
copying backup data from a data protection application to an on-site virtual tape library wherein the data protection application writes to the virtual tape library as if it were writing to a physical tape library;
selecting a criteria for transmitting data from the on-site virtual tape library to an off-site virtual tape library;
wherein a log is kept of all the write operations made while the data is copied to the on-site virtual tape library in order to create additional copies without the use of the data protection application and
electronically transmitting the data from the on-site virtual tape library to the off-site virtual tape library according to the selected criteria, wherein a restore operation may be performed using the data transmitted to the off-site virtual tape library.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the off-site virtual tape library is a physical tape library.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the data in the on-site virtual tape library is deleted after being sent to the off-site virtual tape library.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the data is multimedia data.
19. A system for copying backup data comprising:
an on-site virtual tape library for storing backup data wherein a data protection application copies the data to the on-site virtual tape library as if the data protection application was copying the data to a physical tape library;
wherein a log is kept of all the write operations made while the data is copied to the on-site virtual tape library in order to create additional copies without the use of the data protection application;
means for electronically transmitting the data from the on-site virtual tape library to an off-site storage medium;
the off-site storage medium being selected from the group of;
a virtual tape library; and
a physical tape library; and
wherein a restore operation may be performed using the data transmitted to the off-site storage medium.
20. A system as in claim 19 wherein a physical tape can be created by playing back data copied to the on-site virtual tape library.
21. A system as in claim 19 wherein the data is multimedia data.
22. A system as in claim 19 wherein a physical tape can be created by playing back data transmitted to the off-site virtual tape library.