Patent ID: 8868726

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for performing backups, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: identifying a request to back up a client system within a plurality of client systems within a network; identifying a plurality of backup servers available to the client system via the network; identifying at least two backup servers within the plurality of backup servers that have projected backup-storage capacities sufficient to fulfill a scheduled backup-storage need of the client system by, for each of the two backup servers: identifying a backup schedule of the backup server by identifying a backup schedule of one or more of the plurality of client systems already paired with the backup server; comparing the backup schedule of the backup server with a backup schedule of the client system; determining, based at least in part on comparing the backup schedule of the backup server with the backup schedule of the client system, that the backup schedule of the client system will fit into an availability in the backup schedule of the backup server; creating a logical map of the network, the logical map of the network identifying: each client system within the plurality of client systems; each backup server within the plurality of backup servers; configuration details of the network for use in pairing one or more of the plurality of client systems with one or more of the plurality of backup servers based at least in part on network proximity; pairing the client system with at least one of the two backup servers based on a measure of network proximity between the client system and the two backup servers, wherein the measure of network proximity between the client system and the two backup servers is based at least in part on the logical map of the network; performing the requested backup of the client system via the paired backup server as a result of the pairing.