Online Backup Service Provider Issued a Patent for “Offsite Computer File Backup System Providing Rapid Recovery and Method Thereof”

March 08, 2010

US Patent 7668880 – Offsite Computer File Backup System Providing Rapid Recovery and Method has been issued to Jim Carroll of www.carroll.net

Inventor

• Carroll, Jim

Application

No. 11803954 filed on 05/15/2007

US Classes:

707/204

Examiners

Primary: Wassum, Luke S

Attorney, Agent or Firm

• Pryor Cashman LLP
• Langsam; Andrew S.

Abstract

A computer file backup system and method are provided. An onsite backup device is in communication with the primary device and includes a first backup copy of the files. The primary device includes a first instance of file modification detection software. The onsite backup device includes a first instance of file modification software, as well as a second instance of the file modification detection software. A central backup device is provided in communication with the onsite backup device, and a second backup copy of the files resides there. The central backup device includes a second instance of the file modification software. The detection software detects respective changes to the files between i) the original files and the first copy, or ii) the first copy and the second copy, to determine which files have been updated or renamed. A fork is provided on the backup devices to preserve file metadata.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An offsite computer file backup system backing up original customer computer files residing on a primary device, comprising: a first instance of file modificationdetection software residing on the primary device; an onsite backup device, in communication with the primary device, on which a first copy of the customer computer files are backed up, said onsite backup device including: i) a first instance of filemodification software in communication with said first instance of said file modification detection software, and ii) a second instance of said file modification detection software; an offsite central backup device, in communication with the onsitebackup device, on which a second copy of the customer computer files are backed up, said offsite central backup device including a second instance of said file modification software in communication with said second instance of said file modificationdetection software, wherein said file modification detection software detects respective changes to the files between i) the original files and said first copy, and/or ii) said first copy and said second copy, to enable said onsite and offsite centralbackup devices to determine which files have been updated or renamed, and wherein said first and second instances of said file modification software respectively alter said first and second copies of the customer computer files in accordance withinstructions respectively from said first and second instances of said file modification detection software, and wherein said file modification detection software comprises a metadata update module for updating file metadata information and storing saidmetadata information in at least one file system fork associated with each file on a corresponding, respective remote device.

2. A computer file backup system in accordance with claim 1, wherein …

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