Synthetic full backup generation
System and method for generating a synthetic full backup. A request to perform an incremental backup may be received at a target computer. The incremental backup may be performed on the target computer in response to the request. The target computer may maintain information identifying files that are encountered in the incremental backup. The information may be configured to be used to construct a synthetic full backup. A request to perform a synthetic full backup may be received. The information may be requested. The synthetic full backup may be constructed using the information from the target computer. A synthetic full backup index may be constructed for the synthetic full backup using records from old indexes for each file in the synthetic full backup. The synthetic full backup may be transferred to a backup image. The synthetic full backup index may be stored.
1. A distributed method for generating a synthetic full backup, the method comprising:
receiving, at a target computer, a request to perform an incremental backup of the target computer;
performing, by the target computer, the incremental backup on the target computer in response to the request;
maintaining, by the target computer, information identifying the files that are encountered in the incremental backup, wherein the information is configured to be used to construct a synthetic full backup, wherein the information is stored on the target computer;
receiving, at a backup server, a request to perform a synthetic full backup of the target computer;
requesting, by the backup server, the information from the target computer;
receiving, at the backup server, the information from the target computer;
constructing, by the backup server, the synthetic full backup using the information from the target computer;
constructing, by the backup server, a synthetic full backup index for the synthetic full backup using records from old indexes for each file in the synthetic full backup;
transferring the synthetic full backup to a backup image;
storing the synthetic full backup index.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein said constructing the synthetic full backup comprises combining a plurality of incremental and/or full backup images to create the synthetic full backup.
3. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein said maintaining information comprises storing file identifiers into a data structure on the target computer corresponding to files that are encountered in the incremental backup;
wherein the plurality of incremental and/or full backup images used to construct the synthetic full backup comprise latest backups for the files indicated by the file identifiers.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein said maintaining information comprises storing file identifiers into a data structure on the target computer corresponding to files that are encountered in the incremental backup.
5. The method of claim 4 ,
wherein storing the file identifiers comprises storing a file comprising a stack of file identifiers for files that are encountered in the incremental backup.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
creating, at the target computer, a separate directory for each file system and each volume that is encountered in the incremental backup;
wherein the file identifiers stored for files that are encountered in the incremental backup are stored in a directory according to the file system or volume in which the corresponding files are located.
7. The method of claim 4 ,
wherein each file identifier uniquely identifies a file within a file system or volume.
8. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions for storing information for use in generating a synthetic full backup, wherein the program instructions are executable to:
receive, at a target computer, a request to perform, by the target computer, an incremental backup of the target computer;
perform the incremental backup on the target computer in response to the request;
store file identifiers for files that are encountered in the incremental backup, wherein the file identifiers are stored in a data structure on the target computer, wherein the file identifiers are configured to be used to construct a synthetic full backup.
9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to:
receive a request for file information for use in constructing a synthetic full backup;
convey the file identifiers, wherein the file identifiers are used to construct a synthetic full backup.
10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 ,
wherein the synthetic full backup is constructed by combining a plurality of incremental and/or full backup images to create the synthetic full backup.
11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of incremental and/or full backup images used to construct the synthetic full backup comprise latest backups for the files indicated by the file identifiers.
12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 ,
wherein storing the file identifiers comprises storing a file comprising a stack of file identifiers for files that are encountered in the incremental backup.
13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to
create, at the target computer, a separate directory for each file system and each volume that is encountered in the incremental backup;
wherein the file identifiers stored for files that are encountered in the incremental backup are stored in a directory according to the file system or volume in which the corresponding files are located.
14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8 ,
wherein each file identifier uniquely identifies a file within a file system or volume.
15. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions for generating a synthetic full backup, wherein the program instructions are executable to:
receive a request to perform a synthetic full backup of a target computer;
request file information from the target computer, wherein the file information comprises file identifiers stored in a data structure on the target computer, wherein the file identifiers comprise a representation of a full backup;
receive the file information from the target computer;
construct the synthetic full backup, wherein the synthetic full backup comprises latest backups for the files indicated by the file identifiers;
construct a synthetic full backup index for the synthetic full backup using records from old indexes for each file indicated by the file identifiers;
transfer the synthetic full backup to a backup image;
store the synthetic full backup index.
16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 ,
wherein, in constructing the synthetic full backup, the program instructions are further executable to combine a plurality of incremental and/or full backup images to create the synthetic full backup.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of incremental and/or full backup images used to construct the synthetic full backup comprise latest backups for the files indicated by the file identifiers.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 ,
wherein the file identifiers are stored at the target computer in a file comprising a stack of file identifiers for files that are encountered in the incremental backup.
19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 ,
wherein a separate directory is stored at the target computer for each file system and each volume that is encountered in the incremental backup;
wherein the file identifiers stored for files that are encountered in the incremental backup are stored in a directory according to the file system or volume in which the corresponding files are located.
20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 ,
wherein each file identifier uniquely identifies a file within a file system or volume.