Patent ID: 7165082

Claim:
A method comprising: storing one or more messages on a mail server, wherein each message is associated with an index time; performing a full backup, wherein said performing the full backup comprises: storing a version of each message of the one or more messages on a backup medium; and storing a backup time corresponding to the full backup as a value of a particular named parameter associated with the mail server; storing one or more additional messages on the mail server, wherein each additional message is associated with an index time; and performing a partial backup, wherein said performing the partial backup includes: storing respective versions of selected messages on the backup medium dependent upon a difference between the index time associated with each message and the backup time; and after storing the respective versions, modifying the value of the particular named parameter to a time at which the partial backup was initiated; and wherein said storing a version of each message of the one or more messages on the backup medium includes: determining, for each message of the one or more messages, whether the message includes an attachment; if the message does not include an attachment, storing the message on the backup medium; and if the message includes an attachment, storing metadata associated with the attachment in an entry in an attachment index, wherein each entry in the attachment index corresponds to a respective attachment for which no other entries are included in the attachment index; and storing a modified version of the message on the backup medium, wherein the modified version excludes the attachment.