Apparatus and method for copying, backing up and restoring logical objects in a computer storage system by transferring blocks out of order or in parallel backing up and restoring

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for copying and backing up logical objects in a computer storage system. The logical objects are comprised of data blocks. The data blocks may be copied in any order. The data blocks may be copied or written from a storage media, such as a tape, in parallel.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method of restoring a logical object from a copy, the copy being stored in a first portion and a second portion, the method comprising steps of: 
 providing the first portion;    providing the second portion;    reading data blocks stored in the first portion and data blocks stored in the second portion in parallel; and    restoring the logical object from the read data blocks.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first portion is stored on a first tape and the second portion is stored on a second tape.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of restoring comprises steps of 
 providing metadata for the read data blocks;    using the metadata to distinguish the location in the logical object of the written logical blocks.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the metadata comprises 
 a plurality of labels, each label associated with one or more of the data blocks and    a table associating the labels with a relative position in the logical object.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the metadata comprises physical memory addresses corresponding to the location of logical data blocks of the logical object stored in a primary storage device.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the metadata comprises 
 a physical address associated with an extent of physical data blocks storing the logical data blocks, and    a table specifying the relative position of the extents in the logical object.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are a part of an abstract block set.  
   
   
       28 . (canceled)