Data block based backup

A computer system for data block based backup for a data management system, the data management system comprising a file system that controls access by a database application to at least one database container file stored in a first storage of the data management system, the data management system further comprising a backup client that is connected to a remote backup server in a client-server configuration, wherein a first version of the database container file is saved in the backup server, a first inode comprising information on data blocks of the first version of the database container file, comprising:

• one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system is capable of performing a method comprising:
• creating a change tracking table for at least the database container file, and repeatedly adding an entry in the change tracking table in response to detecting an access of the database application to a data block of the database container file, wherein the entry comprises an indication of the respective data block in association with an information indicating the type of the access, wherein the type of the access comprises at least one of a read and a write access;
• in response to receiving a request to backup the database container file:
• pausing the execution of the database application and performing a snapshot of a storage volume containing at least the file system and the database container file in a second storage of the data management system;
• resuming the database application;
• mounting the snapshot storage volume;
• recreating the file system including a copy of the database container file in the second storage using the mounted storage volume;
• identifying entries in the change tracking table referencing the database container file and that are associated with information indicating a write access;
• copying the data associated with data blocks of the identified entries to the backup server from the copy of the database container file, thereby backing up a second version of the database container file;
• and
• updating the first inode for indicating the backed up data blocks in the backup server, thereby obtaining a second inode.

A computer program product for data block based backup for a data management system, the data management system comprising a file system that controls access by a database application to at least one database container file stored in a first storage of the data management system, the data management system further comprising a backup client that is connected to a remote backup server in a client-server configuration, wherein a first version of the database container file is saved in the backup server, a first inode comprising information on data blocks of the first version of the database container file, comprising:

• one or more computer-readable storage medium and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising:
• program instructions to create a change tracking table for at least the database container file, and repeatedly adding an entry in the change tracking table in response to detecting an access of the database application to a data block of the database container file, wherein the entry comprises an indication of the respective data block in association with an information indicating the type of the access, wherein the type of the access comprises at least one of a read and a write access;
• program instructions to respond to receiving a request to backup the database container file:
• pausing the execution of the database application and performing a snapshot of a storage volume containing at least the file system and the database container file in a second storage of the data management system;
• program instructions to resume the database application;
• program instructions to mount the snapshot storage volume;
• program instructions to recreate the file system including a copy of the database container file in the second storage using the mounted storage volume;
• program instructions to identify entries in the change tracking table referencing the database container file and that are associated with information indicating a write access;
• program instructions to copy the data associated with data blocks of the identified entries to the backup server from the copy of the database container file, thereby backing up a second version of the database container file;
• and
• program instructions to update the first inode for indicating the backed up data blocks in the backup server, thereby obtaining a second inode.