Granted Patent B1

US 9,678,836 · App. 13/543,717 · Granted Jun 13, 2017

Inventor: Guido Westenberg (Columbia Heights, MN)

Assignee: Veritas Technologies

G06F11/1458

Abstract

Claims (54)

1. A computer-implemented method for managing data protection of storage units, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

providing a user interface that enables a user to configure data protection policies for storage units;

selecting at least one storage unit for data protection;

enabling the user to configure, through the user interface, a data protection policy to schedule a data backup of the storage unit;

enabling the user to configure, through the same user interface, the same data protection policy to schedule a data transfer operation from the storage unit to an additional storage unit,

the data transfer operation comprising a replication operation;

visually depicting the additional storage unit in the same user interface as a separate replica of the storage unit upon configuring the data transfer operation;

enabling the user to configure a snapshot on data of the storage unit using the replica as a source.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein scheduling the data transfer operation comprises:

discovering replication capabilities of the storage unit;

enabling the user to configure replication based on the discovered replication capabilities.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein scheduling the data transfer operation comprises selecting at least one of synchronous replication, asynchronous replication, and periodic replication.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein scheduling the data transfer operation comprises selecting an update frequency for the periodic replication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein enabling the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data backup and the data transfer operation comprises:

receiving a user selection of the storage unit;

displaying a range of data protection options in response to receiving the user selection, wherein the range of data protection options includes both the data backup and the data transfer operation.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein enabling the user to schedule the data transfer operation comprises:

receiving the user selection from the range of data protection options indicating replication of the storage unit;

receiving user input designating a storage device for the additional storage unit to which the storage unit will be replicated.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to user input designating the additional storage unit as the replica, altering an icon for the additional storage unit.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to user input designating the additional storage unit as the replica, displaying an icon for the additional storage unit.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein displaying the icon for the additional storage unit comprises labeling the icon as the replica.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data backup and replication are distinct in that replication maintains the storage unit and the additional storage unit in a substantially synchronized state whereas the data backup does not.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data backup and replication are distinct in that replication ensures that replication of a write operation is performed to the additional storage unit before the write operation is actually performed on the storage unit whereas the data backup does not.

12. A system for managing data protection of storage units, the system comprising:

a provisioning module programmed to provide a user interface that enables a user to configure data protection policies for storage units;

a selection module programmed to select at least one storage unit for data protection;

an enablement module programmed to:

enable the user to configure, through the user interface, a data protection policy to schedule a data backup of the storage unit;

enable the user to configure, through the same user interface, the same data protection policy to schedule a data transfer operation from the storage unit to an additional storage unit, the data transfer operation comprising a replication operation;

visually depict the additional storage unit in the same user interface as a separate replica of the storage unit upon configuring the data transfer operation;

enable the user to configure a snapshot on data of the storage unit using the replica as a source;

at least one hardware processor configured to execute the provisioning module, the selection module, and the enablement module.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enablement module is programmed to enable the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data transfer operation at least in part by:

discovering replication capabilities of the storage unit;

enabling the user to configure replication based on the discovered replication capabilities.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enablement module is programmed to enable the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data transfer operation at least in part by selecting at least one of synchronous replication, asynchronous replication, and periodic replication.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the enablement module is programmed to enable the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data transfer operation at least in part by selecting an update frequency for the periodic replication.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enablement module is configured to enable the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data backup and the data transfer operation at least in part by:

receiving a user selection of the storage unit;

displaying a range of data protection options in response to receiving the user selection, wherein the range of data protection options includes both the data backup and the data transfer operation.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the enablement module is configured to enable the user to configure the data protection policy to schedule the data transfer operation at least in part by:

receiving the user selection from the range of data protection options indicating replication of the storage unit;

receiving user input designating a storage device for the additional storage unit to which the storage unit will be replicated.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enablement module is programmed to, in response to user input designating the additional storage unit as the replica, alter an icon for the additional storage unit.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enablement module is programmed to, in response to user input designating the additional storage unit as the replica, display an icon for the additional storage unit.

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:

provide a user interface that enables a user to configure data protection policies for storage units;

select at least one storage unit for data protection;

enable the user to configure, through the user interface, a data protection policy to schedule a data backup of the storage unit;

enable the user to configure, through the same user interface, the same data protection policy to schedule a data transfer operation from the storage unit to an additional storage unit,

the data transfer operation comprising a replication operation;

visually depict the additional storage unit in the same user interface as a separate replica of the storage unit upon configuring the data transfer operation;

enable the user to configure a snapshot on data of the storage unit using the replica as a source.

Assignments (14)