Patent ID: 7941404
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising: program instructions for initiating a backup operation by opening a communication channel from a master node comprising a backup host to each of a plurality of worker nodes; program instructions for gathering information on the backup host about a data layout of data objects distributed on one or more of the plurality of worker nodes through the communication channel from the one or more of the plurality of worker nodes; program instructions for distributing by the backup host a backup creation workload for creating a point-in-time backup of the data objects to the plurality of worker nodes, wherein the plurality of worker nodes comprises one or more worker application hosts hosting a software application utilizing the data objects, where the point-in-time backup of the one or more worker application hosts is supported by a plurality of worker backup hosts of the plurality of worker nodes because the amount of data is too large to be handled by one worker backup host, and program instructions for federating the backup operation by creating a group structure of the point-in-time backup with the backup host and distributing by the backup host a data transfer workload to the plurality of worker backup hosts to transfer the point-in-time backup to a storage server; wherein the master node is the single point of control and the worker nodes are unaware of each other and wherein the plurality of worker nodes comprises the plurality of worker backup hosts directed by the backup host to facilitate creating the point-in-time backup of the data objects.