Data protection of container persistent storage with changed block tracking

An apparatus that provides data protection of container persistent storage, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• a set of circuits;
• and
• an interface that connects the processor, the memory, and the set of circuits, the set of circuits comprising:
• a changed block tracking (CBT) circuit configured to:
• access a container;
• create a tracking-enabled storage volume;
• and
• associate the tracking-enabled storage volume with the container;
• a full backup circuit configured to:
• perform a full backup by reading data from the tracking-enabled storage volume and writing the data to a target storage device;
• and
• define a full backup point, where the full backup point identifies a point when the full backup was taken;
• an incremental backup circuit configured to:
• determine whether a backup termination condition has been met;
• upon determining that the backup termination condition has not been met:
• perform a first incremental backup based on the full backup point;
• and
• perform a subsequent incremental backup based on the first incremental backup;
• and
• a restore circuit configured to restore the tracking-enabled storage volume from the full backup and at least one of the first incremental backup and the subsequent incremental backup.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer control the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

• accessing a tracking enabled storage volume associated with a container;
• performing a full backup of the storage volume, where performing the full backup includes defining a full backup point;
• performing a first incremental backup of the storage volume based on the full backup point, where performing the first incremental backup includes defining a current backup point;
• determining whether a backup termination condition has been met;
• upon determining that the backup termination condition has not been met:
• performing a subsequent incremental backup of the storage volume based on the current backup point;
• and
• updating the current backup point.