Data transfer and recovery system
View Patent ↗A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and a remote storage server. In the event of a failure of the primary server, the failure can be diagnosed to develop a recovery strategy. Based on the diagnosis, at least one delta image may be applied to a copy of the primary image to generate an updated primary image at either the network attached storage or the remote storage server. The updated primary image may be converted to a virtual server in a physical to virtual conversion at either the network attached storage device or remote storage server and users may be redirected to the virtual server. The updated primary image may also be restored to the primary server in a virtual to physical conversion. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure.
1. A system comprising:
(a) a primary server at a first location, the primary server comprising:
(i) a server imaging module to generate an image of the primary server, the image providing a complete state of the primary server and convertible to a virtual machine configured to replace the primary server; and
(ii) a primary computer-readable storage to store the image of the primary server generated by the server imaging module;
(b) an attached computer-readable storage device comprising:
(i) an attached computer-readable storage to store the image of the primary server; and
(ii) an attached physical-to-virtual conversion module configured to convert the image of the primary server to a virtual machine; and
(c) a remote server at a second location remote from the first location, the remote server comprising:
(i) a remote computer-readable storage to store the image of the primary server; and
(ii) a remote physical-to-virtual conversion module configured to perform at least one of:
converting the image of the primary server to a virtual machine, and
receiving a pre-converted primary server image
wherein the remote server is configured to execute the virtual machine converted from the image of the primary server to replace the primary server only after a failure of the primary server.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attached computer-readable storage device is connected to the primary server via a direct connection.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the attached computer-readable storage device is internal to the primary server.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the attached computer-readable storage device is external to the primary server.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attached computer-readable storage device is connected to the primary server via a network connection.
6. The system of claim 1 , said server imaging module being configured to send the image of the primary server to the attached computer-readable storage device, the remote server, or both.
7. The system of claim 1 , said attached computer-readable storage device being configured to send the image of the primary server to the remote server.
8. The system of claim 1 , said server imaging module further comprising a difference detection module configured to detect differences in the primary server, and to generate an update message including the detected differences.
9. The system of claim 8 , said difference detection module further configured to send the update message to the attached computer-readable storage device, the remote server, or both.
10. The system of claim 9 , said remote server further comprising a backup restore module configured to apply one or more updates described by the update message to a stored image of the primary server, to generate an updated backup image of the primary server.
11. The system of claim 8 , said attached physical-to-virtual conversion module further configured to generate an updated version of the virtual machine based upon one or more updates described by the update message.
12. The system of claim 8 , said remote physical-to-virtual conversion module further configured to generate an updated version of the virtual machine based upon one or more updates described by the update message.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the primary server and the remote server are connected via a secure network connection.
14. The system of claim 1 , said remote server further comprising a user interface capable of being activated in response to a user being diverted from the primary server to the remote server.
15. The system of claim 14 , said user interface providing a user access to a virtual machine operating on the remote server, the virtual machine duplicating functionality of the primary server.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the virtual machine is generated by the remote server from an image of the primary server stored in the remote computer-readable storage.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attached physical-to-virtual conversion module is configured to convert the image of the primary server to the virtual machine periodically.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the attached physical-to-virtual conversion module is configured to convert the image of the primary server to the virtual machine in response to a failure of the primary server.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote physical-to-virtual conversion module is configured to convert the image of the primary server to the virtual machine periodically.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote physical-to-virtual conversion module is configured to convert the image of the primary server to the virtual machine in response to a failure of the primary server.
21. A system comprising:
a backup generator configured to create a backup of a first server;
a physical-to-virtual converter configured to convert the backup of the first server to a virtual machine capable of replicating functionality of the first server subsequent to a failure of the first server; and
a second server configured to run the virtual machine starting from a state of the first server prior to the failure of the first server, to present the functionality of the first server to a user of the first server.
22. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a difference generator to create a delta file based on a change in the first server.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the system is configured to generate an updated virtual machine based upon the delta file.
24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the backup of the first server is an image of the first server.
25. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a local storage unit to store the image of the first server.
26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the second server is located remotely from the first server.
27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the physical-to-virtual conversion module is configured to convert the backup of the primary server to the virtual machine subsequent to a failure of the primary server.