A method and system for reducing storage requirements and speeding up storage operations by reducing the storage of redundant data includes receiving a request that identifies one or more data objects to which to apply a storage operation. For each data object, the storage system determines if the data object contains data that matches another data object to which the storage operation was previously applied. If the data objects do not match, then the storage system performs the storage operation in a usual manner. However, if the data objects do match, then the storage system may avoid performing the storage operation.

System and method for storing redundant information

Described in detail herein are systems and methods for single instancing blocks of data in a data storage system. For example, the data storage system may include multiple computing devices (e.g., client computing devices) that store primary data. The data storage system may also include a secondary storage computing device, a single instance database, and one or more storage devices that store copies of the primary data (e.g., secondary copies, tertiary copies, etc.). The secondary storage computing device receives blocks of data from the computing devices and accesses the single instance database to determine whether the blocks of data are unique (meaning that no instances of the blocks of data are stored on the storage devices). If a block of data is unique, the single instance database stores it on a storage device. If not, the secondary storage computing device can avoid storing the block of data on the storage devices.

Block-level single instancing

In a switched file system, a file switching device is logically positioned between clients and file servers and communicates with the clients and the file servers using standard network file protocols. The file switching device appears as a server to the client devices and as a client to the file servers. The file switching device aggregates storage from multiple file servers into a global filesystem and presents a global namespace to the client devices. The file switching device typically supports a “native” mode for integrating legacy files into the global namespace and an “extended” mode for actively managing files across one or more file servers. Typically, native-mode files may be accessed directly or indirectly via the file switching device, while extended-mode files may be accessed only through the file switching device. The file switching device may manage file storage using various types of rules, e.g., for managing multiple storage tiers or for applying different types of encoding schemes to files. Rules may be applied to pre-existing files.

File Aggregation in a Switched File System

Systems and methods for backing-up data from a first storage pool to a second storage pool using difference information between time states are disclosed. The system has a data management engine for performing data management functions, including at least a back-up function to create a back-up copy of data. By executing a sequence of snapshot operations to create point-in-time images of application data on a first storage pool, each successive point-in-time image corresponding to a specific, successive time-state of the application data, a series of snapshots is created. The snapshots are then used to create difference information indicating which application data has changed and the content of the changed application data for the corresponding time state. This difference information is then sent to a second storage pool to create a back-up copy of data for the current time-state.

System and method for performing backup or restore operations utilizing difference information and timeline state information

Described are systems and methods for storing a variable number of instances of data objects (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or up to N−1 instances, where N is the number of instances of the data object included in primary data) in secondary storage across a data storage network. In some examples, a system for storing a variable number of instances of data objects includes, one or more computing devices storing a set of data objects and multiple storage devices distinct from the one or more computing devices. Each of the multiple storage devices is configured to store at least a single instance of a data object. The system also includes a database configured to store information associated with the data objects. This information includes substantially unique identifiers for the data objects and, for each of the data objects, a number of instances of the data object stored on the multiple storage devices.

Storing a variable number of instances of data objects

A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for exporting data from a deduplication data store to a non-deduplication data store. A set of data may be stored in the deduplication data store in a format eliminating one or more duplicates of data objects in the set of data. The set of data in the deduplication data store may be stored separately from metadata describing the set of data. The set of data stored in the deduplication data store may be read. The set of data read from the deduplication data store and the metadata may be stored in a non-deduplication data store. In the non-deduplication data store, the set of data is stored in a format preserving the one or more duplicates of data objects in the set of data.

Frederick M. Arbour

Papers

System and method for exporting data directly from deduplication storage to non-deduplication storage