Patent ID: 8635187

Claim:
A method for performing an incremental backup of a database, the method comprising: initiating the incremental backup by conveying a request to a database server to perform a full backup of the database; in response to said request to perform the full backup: retrieving one or more maps associated with the database, said one or more maps including an identification of data which has changed since a prior backup, wherein the one or more maps include a differential change map (DCM) comprising a bitmap which indicates all data that has changed since the prior backup; resetting the DCM associated with the database as if a full backup were performed in response to said request such that the DCM indicates no changes have occurred since a most recent full backup; retrieving the changed data; storing the changed data as an incremental backup file in a storage device; and storing said one or more maps in association with the incremental backup file; wherein a schema of the database is automatically generated by querying the database when the prior backup is performed.