Method and system for managing data in storage systems

A method for backing up a plurality of data containers, each data container having a plurality of fixed length records, comprising:

• creating a first backup data container for the plurality of data containers by copying the plurality of data containers from a first storage device to a second storage device;
• wherein a processor executable backup application creates the first backup data container during a first backup operation;
• creating an initial data structure corresponding to the first backup operation for storing a unique file identifier for each of the plurality of data containers and for storing an offset value of a last written record for each of the plurality of data containers;
• continuously directly updating the initial data structure as records are frequently added and updated in the plurality of data containers;
• wherein a processor executable application that is different from the backup application writes the fixed length records for the plurality of data containers, creates and updates the initial data structure;
• comparing the updated data structure with the initial data structure to identify which records have been added and modified since the first backup operation;
• wherein the offset value is used by the backup application to determine if any record was updated or added since the first backup operation without performing a block by block comparison:
• and performing a second backup operation by copying the added and the modified records since the first backup operation.

A processor executable system, comprising:

• a processor executable application for creating a plurality of data containers that are stored at a first storage device, where each of the plurality of data containers include a plurality of fixed length records;
• and a processor executable backup application that is different from the processor executable application, during a first backup operation, creates a first backup data container for the plurality of data containers by copying the plurality of data containers from the first storage device to a second storage device;
• wherein the application (a) creates an initial data structure for storing a unique file identifier for each of the plurality of data containers and an offset value of a last written record for each of the plurality of data containers;
• and (b) continuously directly updates the initial data container as records are frequently added and updated to the plurality of data containers after the first backup operation;
• and wherein the backup application uses the offset value to compare the updated data container with the initial data container to identify which records have been added and modified since the first backup operation without performing a block by block comparison:
• and the backup application performs a second backup operation by copying the records that were added and modified since the first backup operation.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for backing up a plurality of data containers, each data container having a plurality of fixed length records, said computer readable code includes:
• code for creating a first backup data container, during a first backup operation, by copying the plurality of data containers from a first storage device to a second storage device;
• wherein a processor executable backup application creates the first backup container;
• code for creating an initial data structure corresponding to the first backup data container for storing a unique file identifier for each of the plurality of data containers and for storing an offset value of a last written record for each of the plurality of data containers;
• wherein a processor executable application that is different from the backup application, generates the plurality of data containers and creates the initial data structure;
• code for continuously directly updating the initial data structure as records are frequently updated or added to the plurality of data containers after the:
• first backup operation;
• wherein the application that adds or updates the records also updates the initial data structure;
• code for comparing the updated initial data structure with the initial data structure to identify which records have been added and modified since the first backup operation;
• wherein the offset value is used to determine if any record was updated or added since the first backup operation and the backup application compares the updated initial data structure with the initial data structure to ascertain which records were added or modified without performing a block by block comparison;
• and code for performing a second backup operation by copying the records that were added and modified since the first backup operation;
• wherein the backup application performs the second backup application.