Tracking files excluded from backup
Techniques to exclude files from backup are disclosed. In various embodiments, a database that includes an exclude set table configured to store data associated with one or more files identified to be excluded from backup is accessed. Data retrieved from the database is used to exclude one or more of said one or more files from a backup. In some embodiments, files are excluded from the backup at least in part by deleting the files from a shadow copy volume created in connection with said backup.
1. A computer-implemented method of excluding files from backup, comprising:
accessing, by one or more processors, a database that that stores data associated with one or more files identified to be excluded from backup in connection with an incremental backup; and
using, by the one or more processors, at least the data stored in the database for one or more files excluded from a previous backup to exclude one or more of the one or more files from the incremental backup, comprising:
locating the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup, comprising in response to a determination that at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup cannot be found, determining whether the at least one of the one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup has moved to a new path; and
ensuring that data blocks associated with the located one or more files excluded from the previous backup are excluded from the incremental backup.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup comprises: searching for the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup based at least in part on the data stored in the database for the corresponding one or more files excluded from the previous backup.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the database includes one or more paths corresponding to the one or more files identified to be excluded from the previous backup, and wherein the searching for the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup comprises obtaining the one or more paths corresponding to the one or more files identified to be excluded from the previous backup and searching for the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup based at least in part on the one or more paths.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to a determination that the at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup has moved to the new path, the ensuring that data blocks associated with the located one or more files excluded from the previous backup are excluded from the incremental backup comprises ensuring that the at least one of the one or more files that has moved to the new path is excluded.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the using of the data retrieved from the database to exclude one or more of the one or more files further comprises:
aborting the incremental backup and performing instead a full backup based at least in part on a determination that one or more of the one or more files excluded from the previous backup could not be excluded from the incremental backup.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating the database to reflect one or more of the one or more files were excluded from the incremental backup.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein updating the database to reflect one or more of the one or more files were excluded from the incremental backup includes storing in a file set table data identifying the one or more of the one or more files excluded from the incremental backup.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the database is updated to reflect one or more of the one or more files that were successfully excluded from backup during a backup operation.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more files are excluded from the incremental backup at least in part by deleting the one or more files from a shadow copy volume created in connection with the incremental backup.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the database comprises a relational database.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, via an administrative or other interface, an indication that the one or more files are to be excluded from the incremental backup; and
storing in the exclude set table the data associated with the one or more files identified to be excluded from backup.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a file set table included in the database with data identifying one or more excluded files which were excluded successfully from the incremental backup.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the file set table is populated after exclusion of data during backup such that the table stores information associated with files that are excluded from the incremental backup.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an update to a set of files to be excluded from backup and updating the exclude set table to reflect the update.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to a determination that the at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup cannot be found and the new path corresponding to the at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup cannot be identified, aborting the incremental backup and performing a full backup.
16. A system to exclude files from backup, comprising:
a data storage device configured to store a database that includes data associated with one or more files identified to be excluded from backup in connection with an incremental backup; and
a processor coupled to the data storage device and configured to:
use at least the data stored in the database for one or more files excluded from a previous backup to exclude one or more of the one or more files from the incremental backup, comprising:
locating the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup, comprising in response to a determination that at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup cannot be found, determining whether the at least one of the one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup has moved to a new path, and
ensuring that data blocks associated with the located one or more files excluded from the previous backup are excluded from the incremental backup.
17. A computer program product embodied in a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:
accessing, by one or more processors, a database that that stores data associated with one or more files identified to be excluded from backup in connection with an incremental backup; and
using, by the one or more processors, at least the data stored in the database for one or more files excluded from a previous backup to exclude one or more of the one or more files from the incremental backup, comprising:
locating the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup, comprising in response to a determination that at least one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup cannot be found, determining whether the at least one of the one of the one or more files identified to be excluded from the incremental backup has moved to a new path; and
ensuring that data blocks associated with the located one or more files excluded from the previous backup are excluded from the incremental backup.