Patent ID: 8918606

Claim:
A computer implemented method for providing incremental backup validation comprising: setting one or more electronic storage indicators each indicating a respective allocated portion of electronic storage for a system; setting one or more changed data indicators each indicating data changed in a respective allocated portion of the electronic storage for the system since a prior backup; comparing, using at least one computer processor, the one or more electronic storage indicators with the one or more changed data indicators to identify one or more allocated portions of the electronic storage of the system containing data that is unchanged since one or more prior incremental backups for backup validation, wherein identification of the one or more allocated portions of the electronic storage comprises prioritizing portions of unchanged data for backup, wherein identifying one or more portions of the unchanged, allocated portion of the electronic storage for backup validation further comprises selecting a least recently backed up portion of the unchanged, allocated portion of the electronic storage to reduce a number of incremental backups required to restore the system, wherein identifying the least recently backed up portion of the unchanged, allocated portion of the electronic storage comprises comparing the one or more prior incremental backups with the identified, unchanged, allocated portion of the electronic storage to determine a delta, whereby the delta comprises a portion of the identified, unchanged, allocated portion of the electronic storage not contained on the one or more prior incremental backups; adding the one or more identified unchanged portions to an incremental backup for the system, wherein the one or more identified unchanged portions added to the incremental backup comprise less than all of allocated portions of the electronic storage for the system containing data that is unchanged since the prior backup; and storing the incremental backup including the one or more identified unchanged portions.