System and method for performing time-flexible calendric storage operations

• US 20070143756A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy

Abstract

A system and method are provided for creating a non-standard calendar that may have customized attributes, such as number of days in a month, first day of a month, number of months in a year, first month of a year, number of years, or other customized attributes. Such non-standard calendars may be similar to non-standard calendars used by companies, enterprises or other organizations, such as a fiscal calendar, academic calendar, or other calendar. A storage management system manager may have a database of storage policies that include preferences and frequencies for performing storage operations, and associations with a non-standard calendar. The storage manager can initiate storage operations based on the storage policy using data that may be identified according to selection criteria, and determine a time to perform the storage operation according to a non-standard calendar.

Claims

1. A method for performing a storage operation, the method comprising:

receiving a non-standard calendar;

receiving a storage policy, the storage policy including data indicating a frequency for performing a storage operation;

determining, based on the frequency, a time corresponding to frequency according to the non-standard calendar; and

at the time, initiating the storage operation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, identifying, according to a selection criterion, at least one data item for performing the storage operation.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the time occurs after a first term of the non-standard calendar expired;

and predicting a second term of the non-standard calendar, wherein the time occurs during the second term; and

wherein the first term and the second term of the non-standard calendar include at least one common time flexible preference.

4. A method for scheduling a storage operation, the method comprising:

receiving data indicating a non-standard calendar;

associating the non-standard calendar with a storage policy;

based on the storage policy, determining a frequency for performing a storage operation;

determining a storage operation time, the storage operation time corresponding to the frequency for performing the storage operation using the non-standard calendar; and

scheduling the storage operation to be performed in a Gregorian calendar based storage management system at the storage operation time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein associating the non-standard calendar and storage policy comprises storing an indication of an associating of the non-standard calendar and the storage policy in an index.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the storage operation time comprises a time before or after a first term of the non-standard calendar, and further comprising transmitting an alert.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising predicting a second term of the non-standard calendar, wherein the storage operation time occurs during the second term;

and wherein the first term and the second term of the non-standard calendar include at least one common time flexible preference.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising, identifying, according to a selection criterion, at least one data item for performing the storage operation.

9. A method for scheduling a storage operation, the method comprising:

receiving a storage policy, the storage policy including a frequency for performing a storage operation;

based on a selection criteria, identifying a data item for performing the storage operation, identifying a non-standard calendar associated with the storage policy;

determining a time to perform the storage operation, the time corresponding to the frequency for performing the storage operation based on the non-standard calendar; and

at the determined time, performing the storage operation.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the selection criteria is a time criterion, and further comprising determining a time which corresponds to the time criterion based on the non-standard calendar.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the non-standard calendar comprises identifying a non-standard calendar associated with the storage policy in an index.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the storage operation is a selective copy operation.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the storage operation is a retention operation.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the determined time occurs after a first term of the non-standard calendar expired;

and predicting a second term of the non-standard calendar, wherein the determined time occurs during the second term; and

wherein the first term and the second term of the non-standard calendar include at least one common time flexible preference.

15. A storage management system for scheduling a storage operation, the storage management system comprising:

a calendar module communicatively coupled to a year module, a month module, a day module, and a offset module;

the calendar module communicatively coupled to a storage manager and an index;

wherein the year module, month module, day module and offset module are programmed to provide a non-standard calendar;

wherein the index is capable of storing data indicating an association of the non-standard calendar and a storage policy; and

wherein the storage manager is programmed to consult the storage policy in the index, determine a time to perform a storage operation according to the storage policy and non-standard calendar, and direct the storage operation at the determined time.