System for assignment of proxies for virtual-machine secondary copy operations

Abstract

A comprehensive approach to streaming backups for virtual machines (“VMs”) in a storage management system comprises improvements to the assignment of data agent proxies for VM secondary copy operations. New considerations in performing a VM streaming backup job include without limitation: determining and enforcing a system-wide per-proxy limit of concurrent data streams; generating an ordered priority list of the VMs to be backed up as a basis for choosing which proxies will back up the respective VM, though the illustrative system may not strictly adhere to the priority list based on further considerations; identifying a next available proxy based on data stream utilization at the proxy; and dynamically re-generating the priority list and re-evaluating considerations if some VMs become “stranded” due to a failure to be backed up. Secondary copy operations are distributed to proxies in ways that improve the chances of successfully completing VM streaming backups.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for managing a proxy for backing up a virtual machine, the system comprising:
 one or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon; and,   one or more processors that, having executed the computer-executable instructions, configure a system to perform a plurality of operations comprising:
 assigning a first proxy selected from a plurality of proxies to be a coordinator for backing up data from a plurality of virtual machines; 
 assigning a second proxy selected from the plurality of proxies to be a controller configured to back up data from at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines; 
 generating, by the coordinator, an ordered priority list comprising an association between at least one proxy selected from the plurality of proxies and at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines, wherein:
 the at least one proxy is selected from based on a mode of access that the at least one proxy uses to access the at least one virtual machine, wherein the mode of access is selected from storage area network (SAN) access, local access, networked access, and complex access, and 
 the association identifies the storage size of the at least one virtual machine to be backed up; and, 
 
 coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines to be performed based on the ordered priority list. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the back up of the plurality of virtual machines is performed based on a predetermined storage policy. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprises:
 determining, by the coordinator, a maximum limit of data streams assigned to the at least one proxy for backing up the at least one virtual machine.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises stranded virtual machines. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprises:
 re-generating, by the coordinator, another ordered priority list based on the presence of at least one stranded virtual machine; and,   coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines based on the another ordered priority list.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a virtual machine having a higher storage size is placed higher on the priority list relative to another virtual machine having a lower storage size. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises a first set of virtual machines configured to execute on a first host computing device and a second set of virtual machines configured to execute on a second host computing device. 
     
     
         9 . A method for managing a proxy for backing up a virtual machine, the method comprising:
 assigning a first proxy selected from a plurality of proxies to be a coordinator for backing up data from a plurality of virtual machines;   assigning a second proxy selected from the plurality of proxies to be a controller configured to back up data from at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines;   generating, by the coordinator, an ordered priority list comprising an association between at least one proxy selected from the plurality of proxies and at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines, wherein:
 the at least one proxy is selected from based on a mode of access that the at least one proxy uses to access the at least one virtual machine, wherein the mode of access is selected from storage area network (SAN) access, local access, networked access, and complex access, and 
 the association identifies the storage size of the at least one virtual machine to be backed up; and, 
   coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines to be performed based on the ordered priority list.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the back up of the plurality of virtual machines is performed based on a predetermined storage policy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining, by the coordinator, a maximum limit of data streams assigned to the at least one proxy for backing up the at least one virtual machine.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises stranded virtual machines. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 re-generating, by the coordinator, another ordered priority list based on the presence of at least one stranded virtual machine; and,   coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines based on the another ordered priority list.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a virtual machine having a higher storage size is placed higher on the priority list relative to another virtual machine having a lower storage size. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises a first set of virtual machines configured to execute on a first host computing device and a second set of virtual machines configured to execute on a second host computing device. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory, computer-readable memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, configures a system to perform a plurality of operations comprising:
 assigning a first proxy selected from a plurality of proxies to be a coordinator for backing up data from a plurality of virtual machines;   assigning a second proxy selected from the plurality of proxies to be a controller configured to back up data from at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines;   generating, by the coordinator, an ordered priority list comprising an association between at least one proxy selected from the plurality of proxies and at least one virtual machine selected from the plurality of virtual machines, wherein:
 the at least one proxy is selected from based on a mode of access that the at least one proxy uses to access the at least one virtual machine, wherein the mode of access is selected from storage area network (SAN) access, local access, networked access, and complex access, and 
 the association identifies the storage size of the at least one virtual machine to be backed up; and, 
   coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines to be performed based on the ordered priority list.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the back up of the plurality of virtual machines is performed based on a predetermined storage policy. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprises:
 determining, by the coordinator, a maximum limit of data streams assigned to the at least one proxy for backing up the at least one virtual machine.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of virtual machines comprises stranded virtual machines. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprises:
 re-generating, by the coordinator, another ordered priority list based on the presence of at least one stranded virtual machine; and,   coordinating, by the coordinator, a backup of the plurality of virtual machines based on the another ordered priority list.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein a virtual machine having a higher storage size is placed higher on the priority list relative to another virtual machine having a lower storage size.