Backup and restore of data associated with a host in a dynamically changing virtual server farm without involvement of a server that uses an associated storage device

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for storing a backup copy of computer data, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving a request to back up data associated with a networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers, wherein the networked computer system is dynamically configured with more or fewer data storage devices and servers from time to time;
• requesting each server in the computer system to quiesce;
• receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system;
• determining a list of one or more volumes or tracks of the data storage device for backup;
• initiating a backup of the one or more volumes or tracks of the data storage device without involvement of the servers in the computer system that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the storage.

A method of restoring data associated with a host in a virtual server farm, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request to restore data associated with the host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address, wherein the virtual server farm is dynamically changing;
• locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device;
• and
• making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for restoring data associated with a host in a virtual server farm, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving a request to restore data associated with the host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address, wherein the virtual server farm is dynamically changing;
• locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device;
• and
• making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

An apparatus for storing a backup copy of computer data, comprising:

• means for receiving a request to back up data associated with a dynamically changing networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers;
• means for requesting each server in the computer system to quiesce;
• means for receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system;
• means for determining a list of one or more tracks of the data storage device for backup;
• means for initiating a backup of the one or more tracks of the data storage device without involvement of the servers in the computer system that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the tracks.

An apparatus for storing a backup copy of computer data, comprising:

• a control plane that manages one or more computing grid segments each comprising one or more virtual server farms, each virtual server farm comprising a dynamically changing networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers;
• a backup controller that is communicatively coupled to the control plane, and comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
• receiving a request to back up data associated with one of the virtual server farms;
• identifying each server in the virtual server farm, based on a control database of virtual server farm information that is communicatively coupled to the backup controller;
• requesting each server in the virtual server farm identified in the request to quiesce;
• receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the virtual server farm from the control plane;
• determining a list of one or more tracks of the data storage device for backup;
• initiating a backup of the one or more tracks of the data storage device to a backup storage system that is communicatively coupled to the backup controller, without involvement of the servers in the virtual server farm that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the tracks.