Patent ID: 8370311

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for performing a backup of a stored object, comprising: receiving an indication that a subsequent version data associated with an object stored by an authoring application in a shared primary storage location on a primary storage device is to be backed up to a backup storage location, wherein the subsequent version data includes modifications to the object and wherein an existing instance of the object is already stored at the backup storage location, as determined at least in part by determining that the existing instance stored in the backup storage location is associated with an object identifier associated with the object; and invoking, by a backup application, a version control mechanism of the authoring application that created or modified the object stored in the primary storage location to incorporate the subsequent version data as copied to the backup storage location into the existing instance of the object as stored in the backup storage location; wherein the version control mechanism of the authoring application is invoked by the backup application programmatically via an API or other interface of the authoring application.