System and method for data deduplication of backup images

摘要

The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing single instance storage of previously backed up data objects in archived backup storage, also known as data deduplication. Current deduplication methods implemented during backup and archiving of data do not work with previously backed up data. Previously backed up images may vary in format depending upon the method of backup and the type of backup system used. As a result, while future backup efforts may prevent multiple instances of backup data, previously backed up data may exist in multiple instances, wasting valuable storage space. The present invention decodes previously stored backup images for deduplication using an image adapter module that works cohesively with a deduplication engine, regardless of the format of the previously backed up images.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving a previously stored backup image from archive media, the previously stored backup image comprising a plurality of data objects including data content and metadata for each of the plurality of data objects; decoding, by an image adapter engine, the previously stored backup image to identify (i) a format of the previously stored backup image using the metadata for each of the plurality of data objects and metadata associated with the backup image from the archive media, (ii) the data content of the plurality of data objects, and (iii) an original path information for the backup image as the backup image originally existed before a backup; transmitting the data content of the plurality of data objects to a deduplication engine, thereby enabling the deduplication engine to a store single instance of the data content to the archive media; and storing information to perform a restoration of the backup image comprising the metadata, a hash ID and the original path information for each of the plurality of data objects, the metadata associated with the backup image from the archive media, the information to perform the restoration being stored separately from the backup image.