Method for backup storage device selection
A method and system for backing up computer data uses a network device to select a storage device in a manner that enhances at least one parameter associated with the backup process.
1. A method for backing up computer data, the method comprising:
determining an available capacity of each storage device, wherein the available capacity is one of a plurality of backup parameters associated with each storage device, each backup parameter including a parameter value;
assigning an available capacity weighting factor to each storage device based on its determined available capacity, wherein the available capacity weighting factor is higher for storages devices with a greater used capacity than for storage devices with a less used capacity;
assigning a weighting factor to each of the others of the plurality of backup parameters associated with each storage device;
for each storage device, multiplying the weighting factor by the backup parameter value for each backup parameter to determine a plurality of resulting values for each storage device;
summing the resulting values for each storage device to determine a score for each storage device; and
select the storage device with the largest score to receive data to be backed up from a network computer;
wherein at least another one of the backup parameters is selected from the group consisting of:
whether the storage device is a network data management protocol (NDMP) device;
a speed of the storage device;
a network bandwidth required for a backup;
a current network bandwidth pattern;
a distance between a network computer being backed up and the storage device;
a location of the storage device;
a time and day; and
whether the storage device was used to perform a previous backup.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising configuring at least one virtual client for clustered applications.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one virtual client includes a plurality of actual clients such that a single set of configuration parameters are used to configure the plurality of actual clients.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising wherein the at least one virtual client keeps track of a location for software associated with a backup process when the software migrates from one computer to another computer.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the weighting factor associated with the available capacity of the storage device optimizes selecting a storage device with 51% to 90% of media used.
6. A system for backing up data from a computer on a network, the system comprising:
a network including a plurality of network computers and a plurality of storage devices, each storage device associated with backup parameters, each backup parameter including a backup parameter value;
computer hardware including at least one computer processor; and
computer-readable storage including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer hardware to perform operations defined by the computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions configured to:
assign a weighting factor to each of the backup parameters;
for each storage device, multiply the weighting factor by the backup parameter value for each backup parameter to provide a plurality of resulting values associated with each storage device;
sum the plurality of resulting values for each storage device to determine a score for each storage device; and
select the storage device with the largest score to receive data to be backed up from the network computer;
wherein one of the backup parameters for each storage device is an available capacity of the storage device and higher weighting factors are assigned to storage devices with more used capacity than to storage devices with less used capacity; and
wherein at least another one of the backup parameters is selected from the group consisting of:
whether the storage device is a network data management protocol (NDMP) device;
a speed of the storage device;
a network bandwidth required for a backup;
a current network bandwidth pattern;
a distance between a network computer being backed up and the storage device;
a location of the storage device;
a time and day; and
whether the storage device was used to perform a previous backup.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the weighting factor associated with whether media is loaded in the storage device optimizes selecting a storage device having media loaded thereon.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to configure at least one virtual client for clustered applications.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one virtual client includes a plurality of actual clients such that a single set of configuration parameters are used to configure the plurality of actual clients.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to migrate for execution at a different location, the at least one virtual client configured to keep track of the different location.
11. The system of claim 6 wherein the weighting factor associated with the available capacity of the storage device optimizes selecting storage devices with 51% to 90% of media used.
12. The system of claim 6 wherein the weighting factor associated with the available capacity of the storage device optimizes selecting storage devices with more used capacity than storage devices with less used capacity.
13. The system of claim 6 wherein the weighting factor associated with the available capacity of the storage device optimizes not selecting storage devices with greater than 90% of media used.
14. The system of claim 6 wherein the weighting factor associated with the available capacity of the storage device optimizes not selecting storage devices with 0% to 10% of media used.
15. The system of claim 6 wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to determine the available capacity of each storage device.
16. A system for backing up data from a computer on a network, the system comprising:
a network including a plurality of network computers and a plurality of storage devices, each storage device associated with backup parameters, each backup parameter including a backup parameter value, wherein at least one of the backup parameters is an available capacity of the storage device backup parameter;
computer hardware including at least one computer processor; and
computer-readable storage including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the computer hardware to perform operations defined by the computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions configured to:
determine the available capacity of each storage device;
assign a weighting factor to each storage device based on its determined available capacity, wherein the weighting factor is greater for storages devices with more used capacity than for storage devices with less used capacity;
assign a parameter value to the available capacity of the storage device backup parameter;
for each storage device, multiply the weighting factor by the backup parameter value to determine a score for each storage device; and
select the storage device with the largest score to receive data to be backed up from the network computer;
wherein at least another of the backup parameters is selected from the group consisting of:
whether the network storage device is a network data management protocol (NDMP) device;
a speed of the network storage device;
network bandwidth required for a backup;
a current network bandwidth pattern;
a distance between a network computer being backed up and the network storage device;
a location of the network storage device;
a time and day; and
whether the network storage device was used to perform a previous backup of the network computer.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to determine the available capacity of the storage device when the storage device is a network data management protocol (NDMP) device.
18. The system of claim 16 wherein the weighting factor optimizes selecting a storage device having a lower available storage capacity.
19. The system of claim 16 wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured to configure at least one virtual client for clustered applications, the at least one virtual client includes a plurality of actual clients such that a single set of configuration parameters are used to configure the plurality of actual clients, the at least one virtual client is configured to keep track of a different location when the computer-executable instruction migrate for execution at the different location.
20. The system of claim 16 wherein the weighting factor optimizes not selecting storage devices with greater than 90% of media used.