Method and system for idempotent synthetic full backups in storage devices

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for generating synthetic full backups, the method comprising:

• performing a verification, that a previous backup of source data stored in a data domain is a failed synthetic full backup;
• obtaining, based on the verification, a latest snapshot of the source data;
• obtaining, based on the verification, a prior snapshot of the source data, wherein the prior snapshot is created before the latest snapshot;
• generating a snapshot difference report using the latest snapshot and the prior snapshot, wherein the snapshot difference report comprises a delete list, a rename list, and a copy list comprising a list of data items;
• making a determination, using the copy list, that a first portion of the data items in the copy list exists in the previous backup, and a second portion of the data items does not exist in the previous backup;
• and
• performing, based on the determination, a copy operation to copy the second portion of the data items to the data domain to obtain a synthetic full backup.

A system for generating synthetic full backups, the system comprising:

• a processor comprising circuitry;
• memory;
• and
• a source node operatively connected to a data domain, executing on the processor and using the memory, and configured to:
• perform a verification, that a previous backup of source data stored in a data domain is a failed synthetic full backup;
• obtain, based on the verification, a latest snapshot of the source data;
• obtain, based on the verification, a prior snapshot of the source data, wherein the prior snapshot is created before the latest snapshot;
• generate a snapshot difference report using the latest snapshot and the prior snapshot, wherein the snapshot difference report comprises a delete list, a rename list, and a copy list comprising a list of data items;
• make a determination, using the copy list, that a first portion of the data items in the copy list exists in the previous backup, and a second portion of the data items does not exist in the previous backup;
• and
• perform, based on the determination, a copy operation to copy the second portion of the data items to the data domain to obtain a synthetic full backup.