Scalable auxiliary copy processing using media agent resources
First Claim
1. A method for using a media agent to offload a storage manager that manages a data storage management system, the method comprising:
- coordinating, by a first media agent, execution of one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system,wherein each auxiliary-copy job comprises generating a second copy of a first copy of data generated in the data storage management system;
requesting, by the first media agent, that the storage manager reserve one or more data streams for a first auxiliary-copy job;
assigning execution of the first auxiliary-copy job, by the first media agent to a second media agent in the data storage management system,based at least in part on the one or more data streams reserved for the first auxiliary-copy job by the storage manager;
after the assigning, fetching by the second media agent from the storage manager metadata for the first auxiliary-copy job;
executing the first auxiliary-copy job by the second media agent, based on the metadata fetched from the storage manager, and using the one or more reserved data streams; and
wherein the coordinating of the execution of the one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system is performed by the first media agent instead of the storage manager.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scalable approach is disclosed for processing auxiliary-copy jobs in a storage management system by using distributed media agent resources instead of a centralized storage manager. Enhanced media agents coordinate and control auxiliary-copy jobs and tap the storage manager to reserve data streams and provide job-specific metadata on demand. An enhanced storage manager may initially select a media agent as “coordinator” to coordinate auxiliary-copy jobs with any number of other media agents, which act as “controllers.” A coordinator media agent is generally responsible for obtaining data stream reservation information from the storage manager and assigning auxiliary-copy jobs to respective controller media agents, based on the components involved in the respective reserved data streams.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for using a media agent to offload a storage manager that manages a data storage management system, the method comprising:
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coordinating, by a first media agent, execution of one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system, wherein each auxiliary-copy job comprises generating a second copy of a first copy of data generated in the data storage management system; requesting, by the first media agent, that the storage manager reserve one or more data streams for a first auxiliary-copy job; assigning execution of the first auxiliary-copy job, by the first media agent to a second media agent in the data storage management system, based at least in part on the one or more data streams reserved for the first auxiliary-copy job by the storage manager; after the assigning, fetching by the second media agent from the storage manager metadata for the first auxiliary-copy job; executing the first auxiliary-copy job by the second media agent, based on the metadata fetched from the storage manager, and using the one or more reserved data streams; and wherein the coordinating of the execution of the one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system is performed by the first media agent instead of the storage manager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A data storage management system comprising:
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a storage manager that executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory; a first media agent that executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory; a second media agent that executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory; wherein the first media agent is configured to; coordinate execution of one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system, wherein each auxiliary-copy job comprises generating a second copy of a first copy of data generated in the data storage management system, request that the storage manager reserve one or more data streams for at least a first auxiliary-copy job, and assign execution of the first auxiliary-copy job to the second media agent, based at least in part on the one or more data streams reserved for the first auxiliary-copy job by the storage manager; wherein the second media agent is configured to; execute the first auxiliary-copy job using the one or more reserved data streams, and based on job-specific metadata for the first auxiliary-copy job fetched from the storage manager after being assigned the execution of the first auxiliary-copy job; and wherein the first media agent is configured to coordinate, instead of the storage manager, the execution of the one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-readable medium, excluding transitory propagating signals, storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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coordinating execution of one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in a data storage management system managed by a storage manager, wherein each auxiliary-copy job comprises generating a second copy of a first copy of data generated in the data storage management system; requesting that the storage manager reserve one or more data streams for at least a first auxiliary-copy job; assigning execution of the first auxiliary-copy job to another computing device in the data storage management system, based at least in part on the one or more data streams reserved for the first auxiliary-copy job by the storage manager; requesting that the storage manager reserve one or more data streams to be used in a second auxiliary-copy job; executing the second auxiliary-copy job, based at least in part on metadata fetched from the storage manager and using the one or more data streams reserved for the second auxiliary-copy job by the storage manager; and wherein the coordinating of the execution of the one or more auxiliary-copy jobs in the data storage management system is performed by the computing device instead of the storage manager. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification