System and method for incrementally backing up out-of-band data

A computing device for backing up data from a remote location such that direct access to the data is not required, the computing device comprising:

• data storage;
• and
• a processor in communication with the data storage, and configured to run a module stored in memory that is configured to cause the processor to:
• activate a protection policy for out-of-band storage at a remote host, wherein the out-of-band storage is not physically accessible by the computing device, further wherein the out-of-band storage is not in communication with the remote host through the computing device;
• transmit a backup request to the remote host comprising data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up according to the protection policy;
• receive a response to the backup request prior to backing up the data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up, the response comprising data indicative of staging disk requirements for the volume, the staging disk requirements comprising a required size for a staging disk to back up the volume;
• determine a staging disk from the storage pool based on the response, including the required size;
• allocate the staging disk from the data storage, the data storage being directly accessible by the computing device;
• present the staging disk to the remote host;
• and
• receive a backup result from the remote host comprising data indicative of whether a backup of the volume to the staging disk succeeded or whether the backup of the volume to the staging disk failed, thereby backing up data from a remote location such that direct access to the data is not required.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions operable to cause an apparatus to:

• activate a protection policy for out-of-band storage at a remote host, wherein the out-of-band storage is not physically accessible by the computing device, further wherein the out-of-band storage is not in communication with the remote host through the computing device;
• transmit a backup request to the remote host comprising data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up according to the protection policy;
• receive a response to the backup request prior to backing up the data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up, the response comprising data indicative of staging disk requirements for the volume, the staging disk requirements comprising a required size for a staging disk to back up the volume;
• determine a staging disk based on the response, including the required size;
• allocate the staging disk from data storage, the data storage being directly accessible by the computing device;
• present the staging disk to the remote host;
• and
• receive a backup result from the remote host comprising data indicative of whether a backup of the volume to the staging disk succeeded or whether the backup of the volume to the staging disk failed.