Patent ID: 8756386

Claim:
A backup apparatus which stores backup data at a predetermined time point into a storage area, the backup apparatus comprising: a plurality of storage devices, one of the storage devices including a storage area having a backup data storage area that stores backup data and having an addition-source area that is added to the backup data storage area when a capacity of the backup data storage area is insufficient; a detection section which detects whether to increase a capacity of the backup data storage area based on set allocations within the backup data; an assignment section which assigns, corresponding with one of the set allocations associated with the backup data when detecting that the capacity of the backup storage area is to be increased, a portion of the addition-source area having no set allocations within the backup data storage area; an addition-source detection section which detects whether to increase a capacity of the portion of the addition-source area based on the set allocation; and a setting section which automatically sets an unassigned storage area of the addition-source area in accordance with the set allocation when detecting that the capacity of the portion of the addition-source area is to be increased, and a transfer section including: determining whether the one of the storage devices has a predetermined free storage area capacity, when receiving an instruction to add a new backup data storage area in the one of the storage devices from an administrator, determining whether the addition-source area is set in the one of the storage devices, when determining that the one of the storage devices has capacity below the predetermined free storage area capacity, determining whether another storage device has a free storage area equal to or larger than the capacity of the additional-source area in the one of the storage devices, when determining that the additional-source area is set in the one of the storage devices, transferring an additional-source area to the other storage device, when determining that the free storage area is secured in the other storage device, wherein the new backup data storage area is set in a free storage area, generated by transferring the additional-source area, in the one of the storage devices.