Method and system for generating immutable backups with configurable retention spans

1. A method for performing backup operations, comprising:

generating a backup on a backup storage system;

locking the backup for a retention span;

generating a backup archive log image using archive log files for the backup;

locking the backup archive log image for a second retention span, wherein the second retention span is selected independently of the retention span;

generating a second backup on the backup storage system, wherein the second backup is an incremental backup associated with the backup; and

locking the second backup for a third retention span, wherein the retention span and the third retention span are equal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backup is a full backup.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backup cannot be manipulated during the retention span.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the backup archive log image comprises:

obtaining a checkpoint-time parameter; and

generating an archive log set using the checkpoint-time parameter, wherein the archive log set specifies the archive log files.

5. The method of claim 4 ,

wherein the checkpoint-time parameter is obtained from an archive tag file;

wherein the method further comprises:

updating the archive tag file with a second checkpoint-time parameter after locking the backup and the backup archive log image.

6. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a client protection agent, which when executed by the processor performs a method, the method comprising:

generating a backup on a backup storage system;

locking the backup for a retention span;

generating a backup archive log image using archive log files for the backup;

generating a second backup on the backup storage system, wherein the second backup is an incremental backup associated with the backup;

locking the backup archive log image for a second retention span, wherein the second retention span is selected independently of the retention span; and

locking the second backup for a third retention span, wherein the retention span and the third retention span are equal.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the backup is a full backup.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the backup cannot be manipulated during the retention span.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein generating the backup archive log image comprises:

obtaining a checkpoint-time parameter; and

generating an archive log set using the checkpoint-time parameter, wherein the archive log set specifies the archive log files.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein generating the backup archive log image further comprises:

wherein the checkpoint-time parameter is obtained from an archive tag file;

wherein the method further comprises:

updating the archive tag file with a second checkpoint-time parameter after locking the backup and the backup archive log image.

11. 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, the method comprising:

generating a backup on a backup storage system;

locking the backup for a retention span;

generating a backup archive log image using archive log files for the backup;

locking the backup archive log image for a second retention span, wherein the second retention span is selected independently of the retention span;

generating a second backup on the backup storage system, wherein the second backup is an incremental backup associated with the backup; and

locking the second backup for a third retention span, wherein the retention span and the third retention span are equal.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the backup is a full backup.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the backup cannot be manipulated during the retention span.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the backup archive log image comprises:

obtaining a checkpoint-time parameter; and

generating an archive log set using the checkpoint-time parameter, wherein the archive log set specifies the archive log files.