Data backup system using both a data backup server operating in a non-retention locked mode and a data backup server operating in retention locked mode

A non-transitory storage medium having stored therein instructions that are executable by one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:

• installing a retention locked (RL) mode compliant replication component to a first data backup server that is configured to operate in a non-RL mode, the retention locked mode compliant replication component comprising computer executable instructions executed by one or more processors of the first data backup server;
• causing, by the retention locked mode compliant replication component, a plurality of backup data files that are stored in the non-RL mode on a backup storage server in a non-RL mode portion of the backup storage server to be virtually copied as deduplicated logical copies having pointers to underlying data without physically duplicating the underlying data, the virtual copying being performed within the backup storage server from the non-RL mode portion to an RL mode portion to create a plurality of backup data files that are stored in an RL mode on the backup storage server, the plurality of backup data files being for a plurality of backup server clients that are configured to operate in the non-RL mode;
• and
• causing, by the retention locked mode compliant replication component, management control of the plurality of backup data files stored in the RL mode on the backup storage server to be given to a second data backup server that is configured to operate in the RL mode, wherein the second data backup server maintains retention-lock access restrictions and corresponding metadata and deduplication references for the underlying data associated with the RL-mode backup data files, such that the underlying data remain stored and immutable in the non RL backup files as long as the retention lock has not expired, and wherein the second data backup server is further configured to reconstruct the non-RL backup data files from the deduplicated underlying data subject to a retention lock when restoration of the non-RL backup data files is required.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a non-transitory storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform the following:
• install a retention locked (RL) mode compliant replication component to a first data backup server that is configured to operate in a non-RL mode, the retention locked mode compliant replication component comprising computer executable instructions executed by one or more processors of the first data backup server;
• cause by the retention locked mode compliant replication component a plurality of backup data files that are stored in the non-RL mode on a backup storage server in a non-RL mode portion of the backup storage server to be virtually copied as deduplicated logical copies that reference underlying data without physically duplicating the underlying data, the virtual copying being performed within the backup storage server from the non-RL mode portion to an RL mode portion to create a plurality of backup data files that are stored in an RL mode on the backup storage server, the plurality of backup data files being for a plurality of backup server clients that are configured to operate in the non-RL mode;
• and
• cause, by the retention locked mode compliant replication component, management control of the plurality of backup data files stored in the RL mode on the backup storage server to be given to a second data backup server that is configured to operate in the RL mode wherein the second data backup server maintains retention-lock access restrictions and corresponding metadata and deduplication references for the underlying data associated with the RL-mode backup data files, such that the underlying data remain stored and immutable, and wherein the second data backup server is further configured to reconstruct the non-RL backup data files from the deduplicated underlying data subject to a retention lock when restoration of the non-RL backup data files is required.