Backup system for computer network incorporating opportunistic backup by prioritizing least recently backed up computer or computer storage medium

In combination with a network of connected computers, a backup process for opportunistic computer backup comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of network connected computers all having data sources of changing data;
• providing at least one backup media having stored and dated data from at least one of the data sources of the network connected computers, the stored and dated data including date information related to date of last backup from the at least one of the data sources of the network connected computers;
• compiling a list of the data sources of the network connected computer to media paths including all data sources of the network connected computers available on the network to all media available for backup;
• prioritizing by date information all the data sources of the network connected computers to media paths with last backed computer to media path having highest priority, the prioritizing by date information occurring before each backup of a network connected computer;
• and,
• connecting for backup the data sources of the network connected computer to media paths where available in the prioritizing by date information order.

In the combination of a plurality of network connected computers each having at least one data source, a storage media engine for writing to storage media data taken from the at least one data source of the network connected computers, a network interconnecting the storage media engine and the network connected computers, and an intelligent controller for connecting the at least one data source to media path through the network,

• the improvement of a backup protocol for opportunistic data source backup from a network connected computer through a data path designated by the intelligent controller comprising:
• means for determining presence of any one of the plurality of network connected computers each having at least one data source;
• at least one backup media in said storage media engine, the at least one backup media having stored and dated data from the at least one data source of the network connected computers having a data source, the stored and dated data including date information related to date of last backup from the at least one data source of the network connected computer;
• a script for specifying the data source of the network connected computers comprising the data source, data type from the data source, and backup interval for the data source, and the backup media for data from the data source;
• means for determining from the script the data sources of the network connected computers with the at least one data source having time lapses exceeding the backup interval to generate a list of data sources of the network connected computers having expired backup intervals;
• memory means in the intelligent controller for compiling a trigger list of data source to media paths including each computer comprising a data source having an expired backup interval, data storage type, and backup media destination;
• means in the intelligent controller for generating a prioritized trigger list by expired backup interval with the data source having an oldest expired backup interval having highest priority and the data source having most current expired backup interval having lowest priority, the prioritizing by date occurring before each connection of a network connected computer to a backup media;
• and,
• means operatively connected to the intelligent controller for connecting the network connected computer having a first available data source to storage media path through the network in accordance with the prioritized trigger list.