Backup server selection based on data commonality

A computer program product including a set of non-transitory, computer-readable storage media storing executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of backing up data stored on host computing devices, the method comprising:

• receiving (i) a request to back up host data stored on a host computing device and (ii) a set of multiple host data representations, each host data representation based on a respective hash value computed from a respective block of the host data of the host computing device;
• computing multiple commonality scores, including one commonality score for each of multiple backup servers in the backup system, each commonality score for a respective backup server indicating a measure of commonality between the set of host data representations and a respective set of server data representations for that backup server, each backup server including a respective set of storage devices;
• and
• backing up the host data by (i) selecting one of the backup servers on which to back up the host data based at least in part on the commonality scores, and (ii) storing the host data in the set of storage devices of the selected backup server.

An electronic apparatus comprising memory and controlling circuitry coupled to the memory, the controlling circuitry being constructed and arranged to:

• receive (i) a request to back up host data stored on a host computing device and (ii) a set of multiple host data representations, each host data representation based on a respective hash value computed from a respective block of the host data of the host computing device;
• compute multiple commonality scores, including one commonality score for each of multiple backup servers in the backup system, each commonality score for a respective backup server indicating a measure of commonality between the set of host data representations and a respective set of server data representations for that backup server, each backup server including a respective set of storage devices;
• and
• back up the host data by (i) selecting one of the backup servers on which to back up the host data based at least in part on the commonality scores, and (ii) storing the host data in the set of storage devices of the selected backup server.