Patent ID: 8326804

Claim:
A method for allocating resources for use in a backup operation, the method comprising: creating a configuration element table comprising a plurality of entries which correspond to one or more storage resources and are associated with one or more user-defined attributes having values which indicate whether a storage resource is preferred or required for a type of backup operation, wherein each entry of the plurality of entries includes: an identification of a given storage resource including at least one of a logical unit number (LUN), a mount point providing access to at least one LUN, and a host having access to a mount point; an identification of one or more of a plurality of backup operations; and a user-defined attribute that indicates the given storage resource is either required or preferred for each of the one or more of a plurality of backup operations; creating a configuration for a given backup operation of the plurality of backup operations, wherein said configuration includes one or more storage resources to be used in the given backup operation, wherein each storage resource in the configuration is selected from the configuration element table based on the value of an associated attribute in an entry of the plurality of entries; storing the configuration for use in subsequent backup operations; initiating a backup operation that corresponds to the given backup operation; responsive to initiating the backup operation: accessing the configuration for the given backup operation; identifying a plurality of storage resources specified in the configuration; for each storage resource of the plurality of storage resources identified by the configuration: accessing the configuration element table; determining whether a storage resource included in the configuration element table that corresponds to the storage resource identified by the configuration is available for allocation; and allocating the storage resource included in the configuration element table for use in the backup operation if the storage resource in the configuration element table is determined to be available; aborting the backup operation if a storage resource specified in the configuration is not available for allocation.