Backing-up user data

摘要

User data stored on a first computer in a network is backed up to a computer which is one of a plurality of other computers in the network. The user data may be backed-up because a new operating system is to be installed. A request message indicating that the user data needs to be backed up is transmitted from the first computer to the network and is received at the other computers. One of the other computers is selected based on data indicating the extent to which each of the replying computers complies with one or more selection criteria. The first computer then transmits the user date to the selected computer with an identifier identifying the user data. The user data is stored in storage associated with the selected computer. The first and other computers may be in the same sub-network. The selection may be made by the first computer.

主权项

1. A method of backing up user data stored on a first computer in a network to a computer which is one of a plurality of other computers in the network, the method comprising:
transmitting from the first computer to the network a request message indicating that user data of the first computer needs to be backed up; receiving the message request at the other computers; selecting one of the other computers based on data provided by the other computers in response to the request message indicating whether each of the other computers complies with one or more selection criteria; transmitting the user data from the first computer to the selected computer with an identifier identifying the user data; storing the transmitted user data in storage associated with the selected computer; and further comprising retrieving the user data from the storage associated with the selected computer, the retrieval including the step of transmitting from the first computer to the network a find message indicating at least the identifier of the user data for the purpose of finding the computer backing up the user data.