Data storage server having common replication architecture for multiple storage object types

A data storage server comprising:

• data storage for storing data storage objects of multiple data storage object types;
• and
• at least one data processor programmed for replication of the data storage objects of the multiple data storage object types from the data storage over a data network to one or more remote destinations;
• wherein said at least one data processor is programmed with multiple software program modules including common software program modules for management of replication of data storage objects of multiple data storage object types, wherein the multiple data storage object types include iSCSI LUNs and file systems;
• wherein the multiple software program modules include a respective software module defining each of the multiple data storage object types;
• and
• wherein the data storage objects of the multiple data storage object types are stored in at least one sparse file in the data storage, and the respective software modules defining the multiple data storage object types are executable by said at least one data processor for addressing of the data storage objects in said at least one sparse file in the data storage;
• wherein the common software program modules for management of replication of data storage objects of multiple data storage object types include at least one scheduler module executable by said at least one data processor for controlling timing of replication transmission to a specified remote destination and ensuring that when an original data storage object has been replicated and the replica of the original data storage object has been transmitted to the specified remote destination, the replica at the remote destination is out-of-sync with the original data storage object by no more than a specified amount of time, and wherein the scheduler module is executable by said at least one data processor for calculating a secondary update time required for the specified amount of time, and scheduling replication to occur to the specified remote destination at the secondary update time.

A data storage server comprising:

• data storage for storing data storage objects of multiple data storage object types;
• and
• at least one data processor programmed for replication of the data storage objects of the multiple data storage object types from the data storage over a data network to one or more remote destinations;
• wherein said at least one data processor is programmed with multiple software program modules including common software program modules for management of replication of data storage objects of multiple data storage object types;
• and
• wherein the common software program modules for management of replication of data storage objects of multiple data storage object types include at least one scheduler module executable by said at least one data processor for controlling timing of replication transmission to a specified remote destination and ensuring that when an original data storage object has been replicated and the replica of the original data storage object has been transmitted to the specified remote destination, the replica at the specified remote destination is out-of-sync with the original data storage object by no more than a specified amount of time, and wherein the scheduler module is executable by said at least one data processor for calculating a secondary update time required for the specified amount of time, and scheduling replication to occur to the specified remote destination at the secondary update time.