METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FUNCTION-SPECIFIC TIME-CONFIGURABLE REPLICATION OF DATA MANIPULATING FUNCTIONS

1 . A system ( 10 ) for function specific replication of data manipulating functions performed on files or objects stored on a source system ( 20 , 65 ) and to be backed-up on at least one destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ), the replication system comprising:

a replication management module ( 40 ) for managing consistent replication of data manipulating functions ( 12 ) from the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) to the destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ), including replication of data manipulating functions ( 12 ) between the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) and the at least one destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ), optionally comprising a replication monitoring database ( 42 ), the system ( 10 ) characterised in that the managing of replication includes replication of functions ( 12 ) with a configurable time delay ( 14 ) for each function to be replicated.

2 . The replication system ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the replication system is adapted to replicate data manipulating functions ( 12 ) after receiving a command function selected from a group of functions consisting of write, delete, update, modify, write-disable, write disable until expiration date, delete-disable and delete-disable until expiration date.

3 . The replication system ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the replication management module ( 40 ) provides functionality allowing:

configuration of a delay ( 14 ) after which a specific data manipulating function ( 12 ) performed on data stored on the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) is replicated on corresponding data on the destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ),

replication of the data manipulating function ( 12 ) performed on data stored on the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) with the configured delay ( 14 ) to the destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ), and

querying function-specific changes on data of the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) in a given timeframe.

4 . The replication system ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the storage system ( 20 , 65 , 30 , 75 ) is based on one of a group of architectures consisting of:

object-based storage arrays ( 60 ) comprising an application programming interface ( 34 ),

file-based storage arrays ( 60 ), and

a computer server ( 80 ), comprising memory ( 36 ), a CPU ( 38 ) and an operating system ( 39 ).

5 . The replication system ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the instructions of the replication management module ( 40 ) are stored on one of either the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) or the destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ).

6 . The replication system ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the replication management module ( 40 ) is configured to provide access to storage systems ( 20 , 65 , 30 , 75 ) based on one of a group of architectures consisting of:

object-based storage systems ( 60 ) comprising an application programming interface,

file-based storage arrays ( 60 ), and

a computer server ( 80 ), comprising memory ( 36 ), a CPU ( 38 ) and an operating system ( 39 ).

7 . A computerized method ( 100 ) encoded on a computer readable medium ( 36 ), the method ( 100 ) managing consistent replication of data manipulating functions between a source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) and at least one destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ), the method comprising instructions for:

(a) configuration of a delay ( 14 ) after which a specific data manipulating function ( 12 ) performed on data stored on the source storage array ( 20 , 65 ) will be replicated to data stored on the destination storage array(s) ( 30 , 75 );

(b) gathering information ( 120 ) on functions ( 12 ) that were performed on data stored on a source storage system ( 20 , 65 ), optionally including the step of building a replication monitoring database ( 42 ) including information on the functions ( 12 ) that were performed on data stored on a source storage system ( 20 , 65 );

(c) querying the replication monitoring database ( 42 ) on the replication time ( 16 ) for outstanding data manipulating functions ( 12 ′) to be replicated by running a pending replications monitoring process ( 140 ); and

(d) replicating the data manipulating function ( 12 ) performed on the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) to the destination storage system(s) ( 30 , 75 ).

8 . The method ( 100 ) of claim 7 , wherein the replication monitoring process ( 140 ) comprises configuring a query for a function-specific replication of data manipulating functions ( 12 ′) on a per function basis, using an input table ( 22 ) accessible to the user ( 90 ) via a user interface ( 19 ), comprising the steps of:

(1) defining a source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) and at least one destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ),

(2) listing the data manipulating functions ( 12 ) to be replicated between source and destination storage system,

(3) specifying a function-specific delay ( 14 ) for each function ( 12 ) and relationship of source to destination storage system ( 30 , 75 ),

(4) specifying the frequency ( 26 ) at which the replication monitoring database ( 42 ) is queried for outstanding replications of data manipulating functions ( 12 ′) to be sent to the function replication processes ( 160 ),

(5) delaying function-specific replication of data manipulating functions ( 12 ), including the sub-steps of configuring the time delay ( 14 ) used for the function-specific replication of data manipulating functions, and specifying a function replication delay ( 14 ), thereby delaying execution of a function until predetermined conditions are met.

9 . The method ( 100 ) of claim 7 , wherein the source storage system ( 20 , 65 ) is a storage array ( 65 ) comprising an operating system ( 39 ) that provides file level access to data, from which information on functions ( 12 ) that were performed on data can be obtained, and which stores self-installing information gathering software encoded with instructions for executing an information gathering process ( 122 ) allowing for installation and running on a client computer.

10 . The method ( 100 ) of claim 9 , wherein the step ( 122 ) of gathering information comprises the substeps of:

inserting information for the function-specific delayed replication of data manipulating functions ( 12 ) in a source change table ( 24 ) of a replication monitoring database ( 42 ), directly from the information gathering software,

wherein the information to be inserted into the database ( 42 ) by the information gathering software includes:

a file reference ( 144 ) in form of the UNC path to the file,

the function ( 12 ) that was performed on the file,

date and time the function was performed, and

optionally, the modifier ( 129 ) that performed the function, and

a before and after image ( 148 ) of the object or file modified by the function.