# US 12,111,737 B2 · System and method to build dependency chain for snapshot-based backups > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,737 B2 - Document ID: US12111737B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/159,471 - Filed: 2023-01-25 - Published: 2024-07-25 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-01-25 - Assignees: Dell Products L.P. - Applicants: Dell Products L.P. - Inventors: Srikanth Chowdary Marri; Madhukar Shukla; Elango Chockalingam; Shivaraj Abbigeri - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111737B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/1469: {Backup restoration techniques} - G06F 11/1435: {using file system or storage system metadata} - G06F 11/1471: involving logging of persistent data for recovery - G06F 2201/84: Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method includes determining, by a secondary backup storage system, that a first backup operation has completed and produced a first protection copy of assets stored in a client storage array, where a primary backup storage system is used to obtain a snapshot-based backup from the client storage array and provide the snapshot-based backup to the secondary backup storage system, where the first protection copy is generated using the snapshot-based backup. The method includes identifying a second backup operation that was started before the first backup operation was started, determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy, and generating linking metadata that links the first protection copy to the second protection copy in response to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced the second protection copy, where linking metadata is used to restore at least a portion of the assets during a restore operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing backup operations, the method comprising: determining, by a secondary backup storage system, that a first backup operation has completed and produced a first protection copy of a plurality of assets stored in a client storage array, wherein a primary backup storage system is used to obtain a snapshot-based backup from the client storage array and provide the snapshot-based backup to the secondary backup storage system, wherein the first protection copy is generated using the snapshot-based backup; identifying a second backup operation that was started before the first backup operation was started; determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy; and generating linking metadata that links the first protection copy to the second protection copy in response to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced the second protection copy, wherein linking metadata is used to restore at least a portion of the assets during a restore operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second protection copy is a log protection copy. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second backup operation further comprises determining that no other backup operations started between a first start time of the first backup operation and a second start time of the second backup operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second protection copy is a full protection copy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: identifying a third backup operation that was started before the first backup operation and after the second backup operation; and determining that the third backup operation failed, and wherein identifying the second backup operation is in response to determining that the third backup operation failed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the third backup operation is a full backup operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the first protection copy and the second protection copy are stored on different storage arrays in the secondary backup storage system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, prior to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy, that the second backup operation is ongoing; and waiting, prior to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy, until the second backup operation is complete. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein linking comprises updating a metadata file of the first protection copy to indicate that the first protection copy is linked to the second protection copy. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for performing backup operations, the method comprising: determining, by a secondary backup storage system, that a first backup operation has completed and produced a first protection copy of a plurality of assets stored in a client storage array, wherein a primary backup storage system is used to obtain a snapshot-based backup from the client storage array and provide the snapshot-based backup to the secondary backup storage system, wherein the first protection copy is generated using the snapshot-based backup; identifying a second backup operation that was started before the first backup operation was started; determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy; and generating linking metadata that links the first protection copy to the second protection copy in response to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced the second protection copy, wherein linking metadata is used to restore at least a portion of the assets during a restore operation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second protection copy is a log protection copy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein identifying the second backup operation further comprises determining that no other backup operations started between a first start time of the first backup operation and a second start time of the second backup operation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second protection copy is a full protection copy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises: identifying a third backup operation that was started before the first backup operation and after the second backup operation; and determining that the third backup operation failed, and wherein identifying the second backup operation is in response to determining that the third backup operation failed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the third backup operation is a full backup operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first protection copy and the second protection copy are stored on different storage arrays in the secondary backup storage system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises: determining, prior to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy, that the second backup operation is ongoing; and waiting, prior to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy, until the second backup operation is complete. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein linking comprises updating a metadata file of the first protection copy to indicate that the first protection copy is linked to the second protection copy. ### Claim 19 A method for performing backup operations, the method comprising: determining, by a secondary backup storage system, that a first backup operation has completed and produced a first protection copy of a plurality of assets stored in a client storage array, wherein a primary backup storage system is used to obtain a snapshot-based backup from the client storage array and provide the snapshot-based backup to the secondary backup storage system, wherein the first protection copy is generated using the snapshot-based backup; identifying a second backup operation that was started before the first backup operation was started, wherein the second backup operation is a full backup operation; determining that the second backup operation is ongoing; waiting, in response to determining that the second backup operation is ongoing, until the second backup operation is complete; determining that the second backup operation successfully produced a second protection copy; and generating linking metadata that links the first protection copy to the second protection copy in response to determining that the second backup operation successfully produced the second protection copy, wherein linking metadata is used to restore at least a portion of the assets during a restore operation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein linking comprises updating a metadata file of the first protection copy to indicate that the first protection copy is linked to the second protection copy.