Distributed backup system

Abstract

A distributed backup method includes defining a server group having a plurality of server computers, and providing each server computer with an identical backup policy and an identical storage policy. The method also includes transmitting, at each server computer of the server group to every other server computer of the server group, advertisement messages describing available storage space for storing backups, and receiving, at each server computer from the server, at least some of the advertisement messages. The method also includes identifying, at a first server computer using the backup policy, at least a first service to be backed up, selecting a second server computer using the received advertisement messages, transmitting, from the first server computer to the second server computer, a backup including information corresponding to the at least one service, and storing the backup, by the second server computer using the storage policy.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of managing one or more backups associated with a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
 obtaining a storage policy configured to manage storage of the one or more backups on a computer of the plurality of computers, wherein the storage policy is stored on each computer of the plurality of computers;   determining that a backup of the one or more backups should be moved to an alternate storage location based on the storage policy;   selecting the alternate storage location based on respective storage capacities of the plurality of computers; and   transmitting the backup to the alternate storage location for storage.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining that the backup should be moved to the alternate storage location comprises determining that an amount of time since the backup was created exceeds a maximum age defined by the storage policy. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of the computer, and wherein transmitting the backup to the alternate storage location comprises transmitting the backup from a high speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of an additional computer of the plurality of computers, and wherein transmitting the backup to the alternate storage location comprises transmitting the backup from a low speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device of the additional computer. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , comprising:
 determining that the backup on the low speed storage device of the computer should be deleted after the backup has been transmitted to the alternate storage location based on an amount of time since the backup was created exceeding a maximum age associated with the low speed storage device and defined by the storage policy; and   deleting the backup from the low speed storage device.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising selecting the backup of the one or more backups to determine whether the backup should be moved to the alternate location based on an order of the one or more backups associated with a time of creation. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising selecting the backup of the one or more backups to determine whether the backup should be moved to the alternate location based on an amount of time since the backup was last analyzed. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising deleting the backup on the computer after the backup has been transmitted to the alternate storage location. 
     
     
         29 . A system, comprising:
 a plurality of computers communicatively coupled to each other, wherein each computer of the plurality of computers stores a respective identical copy of a storage policy that governs storage of one or more backups on each computer of the plurality of computers, and wherein a computer of the plurality of computers comprises a memory configured to store instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:   determine that a backup of the one or more backups should be moved to an alternate storage location based on the storage policy;   select the alternate storage location based on respective storage capacities of the plurality of computers; and   transmit the backup to the alternate storage location for storage.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to determine that an amount of time since the backup was created exceeds a maximum age defined by the storage policy. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein each computer of the plurality of computers comprises a respective high speed storage device and a respective low speed storage device, and wherein the respective high speed storage device is configured to operate faster than the respective low speed storage device. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of the computer, and wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to transmit the backup from a high speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device of the computer. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of an additional computer of the plurality of computers, and the instructions cause the one or more processors to transmit the backup from a low speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device of the additional computer. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that the backup on the low speed storage device of the computer should be deleted after the backup has been transmitted to the alternate storage location based on an amount of time since the backup was created exceeding a maximum age associated with the low speed storage device and defined by the storage policy; and   delete the backup from the low speed storage device.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to select the backup of the one or more backups to determine whether the backup should be moved to the alternate location based on an amount of time since the backup was last analyzed or an order of the one or more backups associated with a time of creation. 
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 obtain a storage policy configured to manage storage of the one or more backups on a computer of a plurality of computers, wherein the storage policy is stored on each computer of the plurality of computers;   determine that a backup of the one or more backups should be moved to an alternate storage location based on an amount of time since the backup was created has exceeded a maximum age defined by the storage policy;   select the alternate storage location based on respective storage capacities of the plurality of computers; and   transmit the backup to the alternate storage location for storage.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 36 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of the computer, and wherein the instructions cause the processor to transmit the backup from a high speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 36 , wherein the alternate storage location comprises a low speed storage device of an additional computer of the plurality of computers, and wherein the instructions cause the processor to transmit the backup from a low speed storage device of the computer to the low speed storage device of the additional computer. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
 determine that the backup on the low speed storage device of the computer should be deleted after the backup has been transmitted to the alternate storage location based on an amount of time since the backup was created exceeding a maximum age associated with the low speed storage device and defined by the storage policy; and   delete the backup from the low speed storage device.   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to delete the backup on the computer after the backup has been transmitted to the alternate storage location.