# US 12,181,975 B2 · System and method for selecting a backup plan for newly stored files > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,975 B2 - Document ID: US12181975B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/550,756 - Filed: 2021-12-14 - Published: 2022-04-07 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-15 - Assignees: Acronis International GmbH - Applicants: Acronis International GmbH - Inventors: Eugene Aseev; Stanislav S. Protasov; Serguei M. Beloussov; Sanjeev Solanki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181975B2 ## CPC - G06F 11/1451: {by selection of backup contents} - G06F 16/122: {using management policies (point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185)} - G06F 11/1464: {for networked environments} - G06F 16/182: Distributed file systems - G06F 16/285: {Clustering or classification} - G06F 16/907: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - G06F 16/908: using metadata automatically derived from the content - G06F 16/909: using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location (spatiotemporally dependent retrieval from the web G06F16/9537) - 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 system and method is provided for selecting a backup plan based on sampled metadata. An exemplary method includes sampling metadata of files on a computer during a predetermined time interval and predicting file usage dynamics for a time interval subsequent to the predetermined time interval, based on a combination of the derivative features and the attributes of the metadata, wherein the predicted file usage dynamics indicate how the files will be utilized on the computer during the time interval. The method includes identifying on the computer at least one newly stored file, selecting a backup plan for the at least one newly stored file based on the file usage dynamics, and backing up the at least one newly stored file to a storage server according to the selected backup plan. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for performing backup of electronic data, the method comprising: sampling metadata of files on a computer during a predetermined time interval; extracting derivative features from attributes of the metadata by: analyzing values in the attributes of the metadata; and encoding the values analyzed into encoded values in a particular format for the derivative features, wherein the derivative features are created based on different types of values in the metadata; predicting file usage dynamics for a time interval subsequent to the predetermined time interval, based on a combination of the derivative features and the attributes of the metadata, wherein the predicted file usage dynamics indicate how the files will be utilized on the computer during the time interval; identifying on the computer at least one newly stored file; selecting a backup plan for the at least one newly stored file based on the file usage dynamics; and backing up the at least one newly stored file to a storage server according to the selected backup plan. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one newly stored file is of a first file type, and wherein predicting the file usage dynamics comprises: deriving a model of change of the metadata over time, wherein the model of change is a snapshot of dynamically sampled attributes of the files and reflects a state of the computer over the predetermined time interval; predicting, based on the model of change, a speed of change in size of files of a particular file type and a change in capacity of the computer subsequent to the predetermined time interval, wherein the backup plan indicates a predicted speed of change in size of files of the first file type and the predicted change in capacity of the computer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein predicting the file usage dynamics comprises: generating an urgency model based on the metadata further indicating (1) how soon a file must be retrieved from backup and (2) conditions on whether to back up the file in low latency storage or high latency storage, wherein the backup plan indicates when and where to perform a backup according to a determined urgency of the at least one newly stored file. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising one or more of: predicting urgency of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model; and predicting attributes of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of file type and file size. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising one or more of: predicting, using the model of change and the urgency model, which kinds of files are subjected to particular file operations more often than other kinds of files; predicting which kinds of files grow in a monotonic manner; predicting which kinds of files are periodically or un-periodically accessed; and predicting file operations that cause change in system storage capacity or backup, the change being greater than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: bounding the encoded values according to the particular format; and extracting the derivative features from the attributes in the metadata according to the encoded values. ### Claim 8 A system for performing backup of electronic data, the system comprising: a hardware processor is configured to: sample metadata of files on a computer during a predetermined time interval; extract derivative features from attributes of the metadata by: analyzing values in the attributes of the metadata; and encoding the values analyzed into encoded values in a particular format for the derivative features, wherein the derivative features are created based on different types of values in the metadata; predict file usage dynamics for a time interval subsequent to the predetermined time interval, based on a combination of the derivative features and the attributes of the metadata, wherein the predicted file usage dynamics indicate how the files will be utilized on the computer during the time interval; identify on the computer at least one newly stored file; select a backup plan for the at least one newly stored file based on the file usage dynamics; and back up the at least one newly stored file to a storage server according to the selected backup plan. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one newly stored file is of a first file type, and wherein the hardware processor is configured to predict the file usage dynamics by: deriving a model of change of the metadata over time, wherein the model of change is a snapshot of dynamically sampled attributes of the files and reflects a state of the computer over the predetermined time interval; predicting, based on the model of change, a speed of change in size of files of a particular file type and a change in capacity of the computer subsequent to the predetermined time interval, wherein the backup plan indicates a predicted speed of change in size of files of the first file type and the predicted change in capacity of the computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the hardware processor is configured to predict the file usage dynamics by: generating an urgency model based on the metadata further indicating (1) how soon a file must be retrieved from backup and (2) conditions on whether to back up the file in low latency storage or high latency storage, wherein the backup plan indicates when and where to perform a backup according to a determined urgency of the at least one newly stored file. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is configured to perform one or more of: predict urgency of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model; and predict attributes of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of file type and file size. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the hardware processor is configured to perform one or more of: predict, using the model of change and the urgency model, which kinds of files are subjected to particular file operations more often than other kinds of files; predict which kinds of files grow in a monotonic manner; predict which kinds of files are periodically or un-periodically accessed; and predict file operations that cause change in system storage capacity or backup, the change being greater than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the hardware processor is configured to: bound the encoded values according to the particular format; and extract the derivative features from the attributes in the metadata according to the encoded values. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon instructions that when executed perform a method for backup of electronic data, the instructions comprising: sampling metadata of files on a computer during a predetermined time interval; extracting derivative features from attributes of the metadata by: analyzing values in the attributes of the metadata; and encoding the values analyzed into encoded values in a particular format for the derivative features, wherein the derivative features are created based on different types of values in the metadata; predicting file usage dynamics for a time interval subsequent to the predetermined time interval, based on a combination of the derivative features and the attributes of the metadata, wherein the predicted file usage dynamics indicate how the files will be utilized on the computer during the time interval; identifying on the computer at least one newly stored file; selecting a backup plan for the at least one newly stored file based on the file usage dynamics; and backing up the at least one newly stored file to a storage server according to the selected backup plan. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one newly stored file is of a first file type, and an instruction for predicting the file usage dynamics comprises instructions for: deriving a model of change of the metadata over time, wherein the model of change is a snapshot of dynamically sampled attributes of the files and reflects a state of the computer over the predetermined time interval; predicting, based on the model of change, a speed of change in size of files of a particular file type and a change in capacity of the computer subsequent to the predetermined time interval, wherein the backup plan indicates a predicted speed of change in size of files of the first file type and the predicted change in capacity of the computer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein an instruction for predicting the file usage dynamics comprises instructions for: generating an urgency model based on the metadata further indicating (1) how soon a file must be retrieved from backup and (2) conditions on whether to back up the file in low latency storage or high latency storage, wherein the backup plan indicates when and where to perform a backup according to a determined urgency of the at least one newly stored file. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more instructions for: predicting urgency of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model; and predicting attributes of the at least one newly stored file on the computer based on the urgency model. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of file type and file size. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising one or more instructions for: predicting, using the model of change and the urgency model, which kinds of files are subjected to particular file operations more often than other kinds of files; predicting which kinds of files grow in a monotonic manner; predicting which kinds of files are periodically or un-periodically accessed; and predicting file operations that cause change in system storage capacity or backup, the change being greater than a predetermined threshold. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions for: bounding the encoded values according to the particular format; and extracting the derivative features from the attributes in the metadata according to the encoded values.