Backup and restore of data associated with a host in a dynamically changing virtual server farm without involvement of a server that uses an associated storage device

摘要

One or more datasets of a computer data storage device that participates in a dynamically changing virtual server farm are backed up without involving or affecting operation of servers in the virtual server farm that use the data storage device, and without receiving information about the structure or content of data in the datasets, the topology of the virtual server farm, or the type of server, file system, or operating system in use by the servers. A restore operation provides restored data on an address that is linearly related to and separated from a backup address. Data can be restored to a storage device without interfering with operation of the servers that use the data and without regard to structure or content of the data.