System and method for backup topology map

1. A backup agent for orchestrating backups of production hosts, comprising:

a persistent storage storing backup policies; and

a backup manager programmed to:

obtain a backup analysis request for a virtual machine hosted by the production hosts;

generate a dependency graph based on:

backups associated with the virtual machines, and

the backup policies associated with the backups;

display a graphical user interface, using the dependency graph, comprising:

a plurality of user interactive markers based on the backups; and

dependency indicators interconnecting the plurality of user interactive markers;

while the graphical user interface is displayed:

obtain a potential backup policy update based on a user interaction with one of the user interactive markers;

after obtaining the potential backup policy update:

update the graphical user interface to reflect a hypothetical backup that would have been generated had a backup policy of the backup policies matched the potential backup policy update when a backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated; and

after updating the graphical user interface:

initiate generation of the backup of the virtual machine using an updated backup policy of the backup policies that is based on the potential backup policy update.

2. The backup agent of claim 1 , wherein displaying the graphical user interface comprises:

generating a display space scaled timeline; and

populating the display space scaled timeline with the plurality of user interactive markers based on respective periods of time associated with corresponding backups,

wherein each user interactive marker of the user interactive markers is positioned a distance away from the display space scaled timeline based on a respective depth in the dependency graph of an associated backup.

3. The backup agent of claim 2 , wherein displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

selecting two user interactive markers of the user interactive markers each associated with respective backups of the backups having different respective depths in the dependency graph;

identifying a dependency indicator path between the two user interactive makers; and

populating the dependency indicator path with a dependency indicator of the dependency indicators.

4. The backup agent of claim 3 , wherein the dependency indicator comprises:

a line segment having an appearance based on a respective depth in the dependency graph of one of the two user interactive markers of the user interactive markers.

5. The backup agent of claim 3 , wherein each of the user interactive markers comprise:

a shape associated with a respective depth in the dependency graph of the respective user interactive marker; and

a shading of the shape associated with the respective depth in the dependency graph of the respective user interactive marker.

6. The backup agent of claim 1 , wherein generating the dependency graph comprises:

identifying a first backup of the backups that is a complete backup associated with a first period of time; and

generating a first node in the dependency graph comprising an identifier of the first backup.

7. The backup agent of claim 6 , wherein generating the dependency graph further comprises:

identifying a second backup of the backups that is:

a partial backup associated with a second period of time that directly follows the first period of time, and

dependent on the first backup;

generating a second node in the dependency graph comprising an identifier of the second backup; and

generating a first association between the first node and the second node.

8. The backup agent of claim 7 , wherein generating the dependency graph further comprises:

identifying a third backup of the backups that is:

a second partial backup associated with a third period of time that indirectly follows the first period of time, and

dependent on the first backup;

generating a third node in the dependency graph comprising an identifier of the third backup; and

generating a second association between the first node and the third node.

9. The backup agent of claim 7 , wherein generating the dependency graph further comprises:

identifying a third backup of the backups that is:

a sub-partial backup associated with a third period of time that directly follows the second period of time, and

dependent on the second backup;

generating a third node in the dependency graph comprising an identifier of the third backup; and

generating a second association between the second node and the third node.

10. The backup agent of claim 7 , wherein generating the dependency graph further comprises:

identifying a third backup of the backups that is:

a sub-partial backup associated with a third period of time that indirectly follows the second period of time, and

dependent on the second backup;

generating a third node in the dependency graph comprising an identifier of the third backup; and

generating a second association between the second node and the third node.

11. The backup agent of claim 1 , wherein updating the graphical user interface to reflect the hypothetical backup that would have been generated had the backup policy of the backup policies reflected the potential backup policy update when the backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated comprises:

identifying the backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers;

predicting a time shift based on the potential backup policy update; and

modifying a location of the one of the user interactive markers within the graphical user interface based on the time shift.

12. The backup agent of claim 11 , wherein updating the graphical user interface to reflect the hypothetical backup that would have been generated had the backup policy of the backup policies reflected the potential backup policy update when the backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated further comprises:

after modifying the location of the one of the user interactive markers within the graphical user interface based on the time shift:

modify a coloring of the one of the user interactive markers.

13. The backup agent of claim 12 , wherein modifying the coloring of the one of the user interactive markers comprises:

modifying one selected from a group consisting of an outline thickness, an outline dashing style, a fill color, a fill shading, and a fill pattern.

14. The backup agent of claim 11 , wherein updating the graphical user interface to reflect the hypothetical backup that would have been generated had the backup policy of the backup policies reflected the potential backup policy update when the backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated further comprises:

predicting a second time shift based on the potential backup policy update; and

adding an additional user interactive marker at a location within the graphical user interface based on the second time shift.

15. A computing device for orchestrating backups of production hosts, comprising:

a persistent storage storing backup policies; and

a backup manager programmed to:

obtain a backup analysis request for a virtual machine hosted by the production hosts;

generate a dependency graph based on:

backups associated with the virtual machines, and

the backup policies associated with the backups;

transmit frames representative of a graphical user interface, using the dependency graph, comprising:

a plurality of user interactive markers based on the backups; and

dependency indicators interconnecting the plurality of user interactive markers;

after transmitting the frames:

receive a potential backup policy update based on a user interaction with one of the user interactive markers;

after obtaining the potential backup policy update:

transmit frames representative of an updated graphical user interface that reflects a hypothetical backup that would have been generated had a backup policy of the backup policies matched the potential backup policy update when a backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated; and

after updating the graphical user interface:

initiate generation of the backup of the virtual machine using an updated backup policy of the backup policies that is based on the potential backup policy update.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein transmitting frames representative of a graphical user interface comprises:

generating a display space scaled timeline; and

populating the display space scaled timeline with the plurality of user interactive markers based on respective periods of time associated with corresponding backups; and

generating the frame based on the populated display space scaled timeline,

wherein each user interactive marker of the user interactive markers is positioned a distance away from the display space scaled timeline based on a respective depth in the dependency graph of an associated backup.

17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein transmitting frames representative of a graphical user interface further comprises:

selecting two user interactive markers of the user interactive markers each associated with respective backups of the backups having different respective depths in the dependency graph;

identifying a dependency indicator path between the two user interactive makers; and

populating the dependency indicator path with a dependency indicator of the dependency indicators.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for operating a backup agent for orchestrating backups of production hosts, the method comprising:

obtaining a backup analysis request for a virtual machine hosted by the production hosts;

generating a dependency graph based on:

backups associated with the virtual machines, and

backup policies associated with the backups;

displaying a graphical user interface using the dependency graph, comprising:

a plurality of user interactive markers based on the backups; and

dependency indicators interconnecting the plurality of user interactive markers;

while the graphical user interface is displayed:

obtaining a potential backup policy update based on a user interaction with one of the user interactive markers;

after obtaining the potential backup policy update:

updating the graphical user interface to reflect a hypothetical backup that would have been generated had a backup policy of the backup policies matched the potential backup policy update when a backup of the backups associated with the one of the user interactive markers was generated; and

after updating the graphical user interface:

initiating generation of the backup of the virtual machine using an updated backup policy of the backup policies that is based on the potential backup policy update.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein displaying the graphical user interface comprises:

generating a display space scaled timeline; and

populating the display space scaled timeline with the plurality of user interactive markers based on respective periods of time associated with corresponding backups,

wherein each user interactive marker of the user interactive markers is positioned a distance away from the display space scaled timeline based on a respective depth in the dependency graph of an associated backup.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein displaying the graphical user interface further comprises:

selecting two user interactive markers of the user interactive markers each associated with respective backups of the backups having different respective depths in the dependency graph;

identifying a dependency indicator path between the two user interactive makers; and

populating the dependency indicator path with a dependency indicator of the dependency indicators.