What is claimed is:
1. A backup management device for transmitting data across a network from a backup source recording device to at least one backup destination recording device, the backup management device comprising:
a backup destination selector configured to employ the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and
a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector, wherein the data transmitter is coupled to the backup destination selector.
2. A backup management device for transmitting data for a backup from a backup source recording device through a network to at least one backup destination recording device, the backup management device comprising:
a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for the network;
a backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and
a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector;
and wherein the backup destination selector is coupled to the load calculation unit and the data transmitter.
3. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the load calculation unit obtains the load distribution for the network based on the load imposed on the network by the transmission of the data that the data transmitter must transmit for the backup.
4. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to select multiple backup destination recording devices; and wherein the data transmitter is configured to divide the data into data segments and to transmit the data segments to each of the multiple backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector.
5. The backup management device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a transmission path storage unit configured to store, for each available backup destination, transmission paths extending from the backup source recording device to the available backup destinations, wherein the transmission path storage unit is coupled to the backup destination selector;
and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to select the at least one backup destination recording device so that, along the transmission path, the delay time resulting from the transmission of the data is equal to or less than a predetermined time.
6. The backup management device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a backup destination count determination unit configured to determine, based on the size of the data, the number of backup destination recording devices to which the data should be transmitted, wherein the backup destination count determination unit is coupled to the load calculation unit;
and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the load distribution to select the at least one backup destination recording device, and wherein the quantity of backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector is the number determined by the backup destination count determination unit.
7. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ characteristics of the available backup destination to select the the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted.
8. The backup management device according to claim 7, wherein each of the at least one backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector have large free memory space, and wherein having large free memory space is one of the characteristics of the available backup destinations.
9. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein each of the at least one backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector are located at distances from the backup source recording device that are equal to or greater than a predetermined distance.
10. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the geographical conditions of the locations of the available backup destinations when selecting the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted.
11. The backup management device according to claim 2, further comprising:
a transmission history storage unit configured to store history data concerning the backup destination recording devices to which data has previously been transmitted by the data transmitter, wherein the transmission history storage unit is coupled to the backup destination selector;
and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the transmission history data when selecting the at least one backup destination recording device.
12. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the data transmitter is configured to transmit, in correlation with the data, header data for identifying the backup source recording device and for locating the data stored in the backup source recording device.
13. A method for backing up data over a network, the method comprising the following operations:
obtaining a load distribution for the network;
employing the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and
transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over the network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.
14. A method for backing up data over a network, the method comprising the following operations:
employing the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device; and
transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over a network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.
15. A backup system, comprising:
a first backup source recording device for storing first data for a backup;
a plurality of backup destination recording devices; and
a first backup management device configured to permit the first backup source recording device to transmit the first data to at least one backup destination recording device,
wherein the first backup management device includes:
a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for a network,
backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted, and
a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector.
16. The backup system according to claim 15, further comprising:
a second backup source recording device for storing second data for a backup; and
a second backup management device configured to permit the second backup source recording device to transmit the second data to at least one backup destination recording device,
wherein the first backup management device further includes:
a usage status acquisition unit configured to obtain usage status data indicating the usage status of the at least one backup destination recording devices that are employed by the second backup management device;
and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the usage status data to select the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted by the first backup management device.
17. The backup system according to claim 16, wherein the usage status acquisition unit is configured to obtain, as the usage status data, data indicating a load distribution of the network for the second data that is transmitted from the second backup source recording device to the at least one of the backup destination recording devices employed by the second backup management device.
18. A program embodied in a storage medium, for a backup management device that transmits data for a backup across a network from a backup source recording device to at least one backup destination recording device, wherein the program for the backup management device comprises:
a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for the network;
a backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and
a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector.
19. A device for backing up data, comprising:
means for obtaining a load distribution for the network;
means for employing the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and
means for transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over the network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.
20. A backup device, comprising:
means for employing the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device; and
means for transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over a network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of hydrogenation of heavy oil, comprising the steps of:
preheating untreated heavy oil by passing the untreated heavy oil through a heat exchanger through which passes treated heavy oil;
injecting hydrogen gas into the preheated untreated heavy oil;
heating the untreated heavy oil containing hydrogen in a heater to bring the untreated heavy oil up to a reaction temperature and lower the viscosity of the untreated heavy oil;
pumping the untreated heavy oil containing hydrogen through a continuous pipe reactor of uniform pipe diameter defining a serpentine flow path to create a turbulent flow of untreated heavy oil containing hydrogen and promote addition of hydrogen into the untreated heavy oil, the continuous pipe reactor being separate and distinct from both the heat exchanger and the heater; and
controlling the reaction temperature by injecting make up hydrogen at spaced injection points along the continuous pipe reactor.
2. The method as defined in claim 1, including a further step of introducing a catalyst upstream of the heater by means of one of a metering pump or a eductor, to promote the addition of hydrogen into the untreated heavy oil.
3. The method as defined in claim 2, including a further step of positioning a catalyst recovery separator downstream of the continuous pipe reactor for the purpose of recovering and recycling catalyst.
4. The method as defined in claim 1, including a further step of positioning a hydrogen recovery separator downstream of the continuous pipe reactor for the purpose of recovering and recycling hydrogen.