Providing a backup service from a remote backup data center to a computer through a network

A remote backup data center to provide a backup service to a computer, wherein the computer includes a first operating system and a second operating system, the second operating system maintains the first operating system in a consistent state during the backup service, the remote backup data center comprising:

• a network interface;
• a data storage assembly;
• and
• a controller coupled to the network interface and the data storage assembly, wherein the controller is to:
• connect to a network through the network interface,
• obtain, from the computer through the network, read access to a storage device of the computer, the storage device including a boot record area, a first operating system area, and a data area, and
• after the read access to the storage device of the computer is obtained, participate in the backup service with the computer through the network, the backup operation including copying at least a portion of a boot record and at least a portion of the first operating system stored in the storage device of the computer to the data storage assembly through the network,
• wherein the data area stores a set of applications and user data;
• and
• wherein, to participate in the backup service, the controller ensures that the remote backup data center possesses a current version of the set of applications and the user data stored in the data area via de-duplication and delta encoding processes.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a set of instructions which, when run by a remote backup data center, directs the remote backup data center to:

• connect to a computer through a network, wherein the computer runs a first operating system during a normal operation and a second operating system during a backup service, the second operating system maintains the first operating system in a consistent state during the backup service;
• obtain, from the computer through the network, read access to a storage device of the computer, the storage device including a boot record area, a first operating system area, and a data area;
• and
• perform the backup service between the computer and the remote backup data center through the network after the read access to the storage device of the computer is obtained, the backup service including copying at least a portion of a boot record and at least a portion of the first operating system stored in the storage device of the computer to the remote backup data center through the network,
• wherein the data area stores a set of applications and user data;
• and
• wherein, to participate in the backup service, the computer ensures that the remote backup data center possesses a current version of the set of applications and the user data stored in the data area via de-duplication and delta encoding processes.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a set of instructions which, when run by a computer, directs the computer to:

• connect to a network using a first operating system;
• run a second operating system to maintain the first operating system in a consistent state during the backup service;
• provide, from the computer to a remote backup data center through the network, read access to a storage device of the computer, the storage device including a boot record area, a first operating system area, and a data area;
• and
• perform the backup service between the computer and the remote backup data center through the network after the read access to the storage device of the computer is provided, the backup service including copying at least a portion of a boot record and at least a portion of the first operating system stored in the storage device of the computer to the remote backup data center through the network,
• wherein the data area stores a set of applications and user data;
• and
• wherein, to participate in the backup service, the computer ensures that the remote backup data center possesses a current version of the set of applications and the user data stored in the data area via de-duplication and delta encoding processes.