Patent ID: 7415585

Claim:
A system comprising: a backup repository configured to store a first sequence of backup images of a data source, wherein the first sequence includes a first full backup image representing a state of the data source at a first time T 1 , a second full backup image representing the state of the data source at a second time T 2 , and a third full backup image representing the state of the data source at a third time T 3 ; and a backup converter; wherein, upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the backup converter is configured to convert the first sequence of backup images into a second sequence of backup images by transforming the second full backup image into a first differential image, by transforming the third full backup image into a second differential image, and by causing the second sequence of backup images to be stored within the backup repository, wherein the second sequence includes the first full backup image representing the state of the data source at the time T 1 , the first differential image representing the state of the data source at the time T 2 , and the second differential image representing the state of the data source at the time T 3 .