Patent ID: 8078585
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a computing system that supports performing backup operations using a continuous data protection (CDP) engine configured to save multiple versions of a data object, a method for restoring a version of a data object from the CDP engine without being required to access the CDP engine via a separate CDP-specific interface, the method comprising: presenting a single user interface that allows both (i) data objects to be retrieved from a primary storage device and (ii) prior versions of the data objects to be retrieved from the CDP engine that includes storage devices, the CDP engine configured to continuously record changes made to the data objects, wherein the CDP engine allows prior versions of the data objects to be recovered at prior points in time; receiving input in the single user interface identifying a prior version of a data object from the user interface; generating a data access request comprising a data identifier for identifying the data object and metadata identifying the prior version of the data object, wherein the metadata identifies a previous point in time, and wherein the prior version of the data object identified by the metadata corresponds to the data object as the data object existed at the previous point in time; configuring the metadata in the data access request to be passed transparently through at least one system layer of the computing system before reaching a storage layer, wherein the data access request for the prior version of the data object is recognized as a normal request for data located in the primary storage device the at least one system layer of the computing system; receiving the data access request at the storage layer of the computing system; decoding the data access request by the storage layer to determine that the data access request includes the metadata in addition to the data identifier, wherein detection of the metadata by the storage layer of the computing system notifies the storage layer that the prior version of the data object is to be accessed from the CDP engine instead of from the primary storage device; retrieving the prior version of the data object from the CDP engine based on the presence of the metadata instead of from the primary storage device, wherein the storage layer sends commands to the CDP engine in accordance with a predefined CDP protocol to retrieve the prior version; and returning the retrieved prior version of the data object.