Patent ID: 6708188
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: G06F,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of representing records of data backup activity from a plurality of data backup products in a format that enables this information to be cross-referenced, consolidated, and compared comprising:(a) providing a computer network with data backup activity performed by a plurality of data backup products each with its own clients and servers, (b) providing a host computer interfaced to said network, (c) providing said host computer is running a software device or program that includes said method as one of its software components, (d) providing for each data backup product a backup engine plug-in that will obtain records of data backup activity from that data backup product, (e) providing records of data backup activity expressed as a canonical backup log containing backup job records including: i. a date and time that a data backup attempt or operation took place, and ii. a proprietary name of the data backup client, and iii. a fully qualified host name of the data backup client, and iv. a number of bytes that were backed up or default value, and v. a number of files or objects that were backed up or a default value, and vi. a proprietary data backup level name or a default value, and vii. a canonical data backup level name or a default value, and viii. a description of where the information in the data backup job record was obtained, and ix. a number of seconds that elapsed during the data backup operation or a default value, and x. a number of errors or a default value, and xi. a data and time the data backup will expire or default value, and xii. a logical target name, and xiii. a media label of the storage media the data backup was written to, (f) providing a request for the said canonical backup activity log from a said software device or program, whereby said method will make available to said software device or program said canonical backup activity log in response to the asynchronous requests made by said software device or program.