Method and apparatus for enabling and managing application input/output activity while restoring a data store

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the processor;
• means for processing a restoration request, wherein
• the means for processing is coupled to the processor,
• the restoration request is a request to restore data of a data store,
• the data store is stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and
• the data store is mirrored by an other data store;
• means for controlling communication of information regarding application input/output activity, wherein
• the means for controlling is coupled to the processor,
• the application input/output activity is associated with at least one host computer, and
• the application input/output activity is directed to at least one of
• the data store, or
• the other data store;
• means for selecting at least one prior point-in-time-images of a plurality of prior point-in-time-images, wherein
• the plurality of prior point-in-time-images is stored in an image data store,
• the selecting is based on the restoration request, and
• the selecting comprises examining an index, wherein
• the index comprises information identifying the application input/output activity;
• means for restoring one or more previous data blocks to the data store, wherein
• the means for copying is coupled to the processor,
• the restoring is performed in accordance with the restoration request, and
• the restoring uses the at least one prior point-in-time image;
• and
• means for servicing the application input/output activity using
• the means for servicing is configured to use the data store by virtue of being coupled to the computer-readable storage medium, and
• the means for servicing and the means for restoring are configured to perform the servicing and the restoring in parallel.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising

• one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to
• examine a restoration request, wherein
• the restoration request is a request to restore data of a data store, and
• the data store is mirrored by an other data store,
• communicate information regarding application input/output activity, wherein
• the application input/output activity is associated with at least one host computer, and
• the application input/output activity is directed to at least one of
• the data store, or
• the other data store,
• select at least one prior point-in-time-images of a plurality of prior point-in-time-images, wherein
• the plurality of prior point-in-time-images is stored in an image data store,
• selecting the at least one prior point-in-time image is based on the restoration request, and
• selecting the at least one prior point-in-time image comprises examining an index, wherein
• the index comprises information identifying the application input/output activity;
• restore a portion of the data of the data store, wherein
• the at least the portion of the data of the data store is restored in accordance with the restoration request, and
• the at least the portion of the data of the data store is restored using
• the at least one prior point-in-time image, and
• execute the application input/output activity, wherein
• the application input/output activity is executed using the data store, and
• the one or more processor-executable instructions are configured to perform the restoration of the data store and the execution of the plurality of file system operations in parallel;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the one or more processor-executable instructions are encoded in the computer-readable storage medium.