Patent ID: 11954067
Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 8:
9. A system for indirectly protecting files comprising: a processor; and memory configured to store one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:
periodically closing an air gap between a primary backup storage system and a vault storage system;
upon the air gap being closed, replicating at least a portion of a file system comprising a plurality of files to retain over a retention duration from the primary backup storage system to the vault storage system; and
after replication of the files to the vault storage system,
taking a snapshot of the files at the vault storage system, the snapshot being at a level of the file system or a directory of the file system; and
applying a retention lock to the snapshot at the vault storage system to block, over the retention duration, operations involving deletion of the snapshot, but not applying the retention lock to the files, the files at the vault storage system thereby remaining unlocked.