Patent ID: 8694468

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 volume of data targeted for backup to a backup data store; reading configuration data that identifies a characteristic of data objects that are to be backed up using archival-reference objects; identifying at least one data object within the volume of data that is to be backed up using an archival-reference object by examining characteristics of one or more data objects in the volume of data and identifying the at least one data object having the characteristic identified in the configuration data; querying an archival data store, that is distinct and independent from the backup data store, to locate a copy of the at least one data object that is already within the archival data store; backing up, to the backup data store and in response to locating the copy of the at least one data object within the archival data store, the archival-reference object that points to a location of the copy of the at least one data object within the archival data store instead of backing up the at least one data object to the backup data store, wherein the archival-reference object is backed up to the backup data store after the at least one data object has been archived to the archival data store but before the at least one data object has been replaced within the volume of data by the archival-reference object.