SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLASSIFYING AND TRANSFERRING INFORMATION IN A STORAGE NETWORK

• US 20070185916A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Brockway, Brian, Ngo, David, Prahlad, Anand, Muller, Marcus, Schwartz, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/119 Details of migration of file systems migration mechanisms in storage systems G06F3/0647
• 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 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1727 Details of free space management performed by the file system saving storage space on storage systems G06F3/0608; management of blocks in storage devices G06F3/064
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 : Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 : Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 : Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 : by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 : Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 : Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 : Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 : Archiving or backup

Abstract

Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.

Claims

1. A system for distributing metadata related to data stored in a network, comprising:

a first storage device containing data accessible via the network;

a second storage device containing data accessible via the network;

a first metabase containing metadata including classifications of data stored on at least one of the first and second storage devices; and

a second metabase containing metadata including classifications of data stored on at least one of the first and second storage devices,

wherein the first and second metabases are accessed to make determinations about the data stored on the first and second storage devices, and the classifications included within the metadata of the first and second metabases includes information for facilitating the performance of a storage management operation on at least one of the first and second storage devices.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first metabase contains metadata classifying the data stored on the first storage device and the second metabase contains metadata classifying the data stored on the second storage device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein both the first and second metabases contain copies of metadata classifying the data stored on the first and second storage devices.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for directing storage requests to a metabase, and wherein the metabase manager component directs requests based at least in part on a past level of activity associated with each metabase tracked by the metabase manager component.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for directing storage requests to a metabase, and wherein the metabase manager component directs requests based at least in part on a current level of activity associated with each metabase monitored by the metabase manager component.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for directing storage requests to a metabase, and wherein the metabase manager component directs requests based at least in part on a projected level of activity associated with each metabase determined by the metabase manager component.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for directing storage requests to a metabase, and wherein the metabase manager component directs requests based on the data to be accessed by the storage request and identifying a metabase associated with the data to be accessed.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for selecting a metabase to which to direct a storage query, and wherein the metabase manager component selects a metabase and if the metabase does not contain data that satisfies the query, the metabase manager component selects another metabase.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a metabase manager component for selecting a metabase to which to direct a storage request, and wherein the metabase manager component selects the metabase based on access control information and determining whether the storage request identifies an entity with access to the metabase.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second metabases are arranged hierarchically based on geography.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second metabases are arranged hierarchically based on a hierarchy of departments within a business organization that stores data at the first and second storage devices.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second metabases are arranged based on a relationship between subsidiaries of a business organization.

13. A method of accessing data through a distributed metabase, comprising:

receiving a request to access data;

selecting at least one of multiple distributed metabases containing metadata related to the data, wherein the metadata includes information not stored with the data to facilitate data management operations on the data;

sending the request to the at least one selected metabase; and

accessing the data based on the metadata contained by the at least one selected metabase, wherein accessing comprises offloading at least some accesses of a primary storage device storing the data to the metabase based on the metadata.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting comprises selecting one of the multiple metabases based on a level of activity of each metabase, wherein the level is past, current, or projected.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting comprises determining a content type of the data and selecting a metabase based on the content type.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting further comprises:

selecting a first metabase;

determining whether the first selected metabase is available; and

if the first selected metabase is not available, selecting a second metabase.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting comprises determining which of the multiple metabases contains the most recent metadata related to the data.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting comprises determining which of the multiple metabases contains metadata associated with the most recent copy of the data.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting at least one of multiple metabases comprises consulting a metabase index to identify a set of data without accessing the data itself.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the request comprises a query to find identified data, and the selected metabases find the data without accessing the data itself.

21. A system for accessing information through a distributed database system, each database containing descriptive data describing information, the system comprising:

a means for receiving a request to find identified information;

a means for determining one or more of multiple databases that contain data describing the identified information;

a means for directing the request to the one or more determined databases; and

a means for accessing the identified information based on the data describing the identified information contained by the one or more determined databases.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the means for directing the request routes requests based on access control information.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the means for directing the request routes requests based on an index of data available from each metabase.

24. The system of claim 21 further comprising a means for performing a data management operation based on the identified information.