Data storage system for analysis of data across heterogeneous information management systems

• US 10,635,634 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Singh, Parminder
• Primary Examiner(s): Gofman, Alex
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mian, Umar
• Application Number:
  US15/471,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20170199884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating customized reports from data storage databases and other information management system databases. The methods include normalizing queried information from different types of information management system databases to enable system-wide report generation. Other implementations are disclosed.

Claims

1. An information management system configured to create graphical reports associated with a status of the information management system, the system comprising:

a first information management cell having a first storage manager coupled, via a first network, to a first plurality of computing devices,

wherein the first storage manager includes a first storage manager database to store a first data storage policy associated with the first plurality of computing devices, wherein the first storage manager database is a first type of database; and

a second information management cell connected to the first information management cell and having a second storage manager coupled, via a second network to a second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the second storage manager includes a second storage manager database to store a second data storage policy associated with a second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the second storage manager database is a second type of database that is different from the first type of database,

wherein the second storage manager includes a memory storing instructions and a processor coupled to the memory, and

wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the second storage manager to;

populate a user interface with a list of content identifiers of the first storage manager database and of the second storage manager database, wherein the content identifiers include at least one of table identifiers, view identifiers, and column identifiers,

with the user interface, receive at least one user selection of a content identifier from the list of content identifiers to query the first storage manager database and the second storage manager database,

identify the first storage manager as the first type of database by causing the second storage manager to query the first storage manager database to determine a type of the first storage manager database by using a network address of the first storage manager database received from the user,

query the first storage manager database using a first set of query commands,

query the second storage manager database using a second set of query commands, wherein the first set of query commands are different from the second set of query commands,

identify a data format of information received in response to the first set of query commands as a first data format and the second set of query commands as a second data format,

normalize information received in response to the query of the first storage manager database to be compatible with the second data format,

merge the normalized information with information received in response to the query of the second storage manager into an in-memory database associated with a report generation agent that generates the graphical reports,

sort the merged normalized information in the in-memory database associated with the report generation agent that generate the graphical reports, and

display a graphical report of the sorted and merged normalized information based on the received user selections.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first type of database is one of:

a document-oriented database, a distributed database, and an object-relational database,

wherein the instructions further cause the second storage manager to receive a non-table object in response to using the first set of query commands on the first type of database, and

wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to normalize the received information includes converting the non-table object received from the first storage manager database into a database table.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to permit the user to select sets of information displayed via the user interface, and to query the first and second storage manager databases without requiring the user to be able to program in a database language.

4. At least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for a report generation agent which, when executed by at least one data processing device, performs a method that causes display of graphical reports of a status of an information management system, the method comprising:

populating at least one user interface object with content identifiers of heterogeneous information management system databases, wherein the content identifiers include at least one of table identifiers, view identifiers, and column identifiers,

wherein the heterogeneous information management system databases include;

a first information management database of a first database management system model,

wherein data in the first information management database is in a first data format,

wherein the first information management database is coupled, via a first network, to a first plurality of computing devices, and

a second information management database of a second database management system model,

wherein data in the second information management database is in a second data format,

wherein the first database management system model and the second database management system model are different from one another,

wherein the second information management database is coupled, via a second network, to a second plurality of computing devices, and

wherein the second database management system model is connected to the first database management system model;

receiving selections, by a user, from user interface objects of some of the content identifiers;

identifying the first information management database as a first type of database by causing the second information management database to query the first information management database to determine a type of the first information management database by using a network address of the first information management database received from the user;

querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the selected some of the content identifiers;

identifying the first data format and the second data format;

normalizing results from the query to uniformly format the results,

wherein normalizing results from the query includes converting a portion of the results attributable to the first information management database in the first data format to the second data format, and

wherein the normalized results represent database content for heterogeneous information management system databases;

merging the normalized results with results received in response to the query of the second information management database into an in-memory database associated with the report generation agent that generates the graphical reports;

sorting the merged normalized results in the in-memory database associated with the report generation agent that generates the graphical reports; and

displaying the graphical reports of the merged and sorted normalized results, based on the some of the content identifiers selected by the user,

wherein each of the heterogeneous information management databases stores data related to client computers that may be backed up within the information management system, and

wherein the graphical reports provide data reflecting a number of client computers that are being backed up.

5. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 4, further comprising:

associating graphing functions with each of the user interface objects to associate the content identifiers, selected with the user interface objects, with the graphing functions,

wherein displaying the graphical reports includes executing the graphing functions.

6. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the graphical reports include at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart.

7. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the content identifiers include one or more of views, tables, and columns of the heterogeneous information management system databases.

8. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models.

9. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 4, further comprising:

associating a graphing function with the user interface objects so that the at least one selection from the content identifiers is associated with the graphing function,

wherein displaying the graphical reports includes using the graphing function to display the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers.

10. A method for displaying graphical reports of a status of an information management system, the method comprising:

populating at least one user interface object with content identifiers of heterogeneous information management system databases, wherein the content identifiers include at least one of table identifiers, view identifiers, and column identifiers,

wherein the heterogeneous information management system databases include;

a first information management database of a first database management system model,

wherein data in the first information management database is in a first data format,

wherein the first database management system is coupled, via a first network, to a first plurality of computing devices, and

a second information management database of a second database management system model,

wherein the data in the second information management database is in a second data format,

wherein the first database management system model and the second database management system model are different from one another,

wherein the second database management system model is coupled, via a second network, to a second plurality of computing devices, and

wherein the second database management system model is connected to the first database management system model

receiving selections, by a user, from user interface objects of some of the content identifiers;

identifying the first information management database as a first type of database by causing the second information management database to query the first information management database to determine a type of the first information management database by using a network address of the first information management database received from the user;

querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the selected some of the content identifiers;

identifying the first data format and the second data format;

normalizing results from the query to uniformly format the results,

wherein normalizing results from the query includes converting a portion of the results attributable to the first information management database in the first data format to the second data format, and

wherein the normalized results represent database content for heterogeneous information management system databases;

merging the normalized results with results received in response to the query of the second information management database into an in-memory database associated with a report generation agent that generates the graphical reports;

sorting the merged normalized results in the in-memory database associated with the report generation agent that generates the graphical reports; and

displaying the graphical reports of the merged and sorted normalized results, based on the some of the content identifiers selected by the user,

wherein each of the heterogeneous information management databases stores data related to client computers that may be backed up within the information management system, and

wherein the graphical reports provide data reflecting a number of client computers that are being backed up.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising

associating graphing functions with each of the user interface objects to associate the content identifiers, selected with the user interface objects, with the graphing functions,

wherein displaying the graphical reports includes executing the graphing functions.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical reports include at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the content identifiers include one or more of views, tables, and columns of the heterogeneous information management system databases.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models.