Administering a shared, on-line pool of data storage resources for performing data storage operations
First Claim
1. A method of creating secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices in a shared storage pool, comprising:
- using one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware;
receiving instructions to create a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage associated with a first computing device in a networked pool of computing devices;
accessing a data structure associated with the first computing device that identifies a first subset of computing devices in the networked pool that are designated for sharing storage resources with the first computing device; and
instructing, by a storage manager residing on first computer hardware, the first computing device to transmit the first data to a first media agent residing on second computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool, wherein the first media agent creates the secondary copy of the first data in storage resources associated with a second computing device in the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool,wherein storage resources associated with the first computing device are designated for sharing with a third computing device in the networked pool such that the storage resources associated with the first computing device can be configured to be used by a second media agent residing on third computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool to create a secondary copy of second data stored in the primary storage that is associated with the third computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data storage system according to certain aspects manages and administers the sharing of storage resources among clients in the shared storage pool. The shared storage pool according to certain aspects can provide readily available remote storage to clients in the pool. A share list for each client may be used to determine where data is stored within the storage pool. The share list may include clients that are known to each client, and therefore, a user may feel more at ease storing the data on the clients in the storage pool. Management and administration of the storage pool and backup and restore jobs can be performed by an entity other than the client, making backup and restore more streamlined and simple for the clients in the pool.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of creating secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices in a shared storage pool, comprising:
using one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware; receiving instructions to create a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage associated with a first computing device in a networked pool of computing devices; accessing a data structure associated with the first computing device that identifies a first subset of computing devices in the networked pool that are designated for sharing storage resources with the first computing device; and instructing, by a storage manager residing on first computer hardware, the first computing device to transmit the first data to a first media agent residing on second computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool, wherein the first media agent creates the secondary copy of the first data in storage resources associated with a second computing device in the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool, wherein storage resources associated with the first computing device are designated for sharing with a third computing device in the networked pool such that the storage resources associated with the first computing device can be configured to be used by a second media agent residing on third computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool to create a secondary copy of second data stored in the primary storage that is associated with the third computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for creating secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices in a shared storage pool, the system comprising:
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a first data structure associated with a first computing device in a networked pool of computing devices and listing a first subset of computing devices in the networked pool that are designated for sharing storage resources with the first computing device; and first computer hardware comprising a storage manager residing thereon, the storage manager configured to; receive instructions to create a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage associated with the first computing device; access the first data structure to identify the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool; and instruct the first computing device to transmit the first data to a first media agent residing on second computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool, wherein the first media agent creates the secondary copy of the first data in storage resources associated with a second computing device in the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool, wherein storage resources associated with the first computing device are designated for sharing with a third computing device in the networked pool such that the storage resources associated with the first computing device can be configured to be used by a second media agent residing on third computer hardware and associated with at least one computing device in the networked pool to create a secondary copy of second data stored in the primary storage that is associated with the third computing device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification