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

• US 20070198593A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated, California Micro Devices Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Brockway, Brian, Ngo, David, Prahlad, Anand, Muller, Marcus, Schwartz, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,700 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 managing data associated with a data storage component, wherein the data storage component is coupled to at least one computer, and stores data from one or more applications running on the computer, the system comprising:

a data storage management component for managing data stored within the data storage component;

a data classification component for associating classifications with the stored data managed by the data storage management component, wherein the classifications describe characteristics of the stored data that describe a data management state of the stored data; and

a metabase associated with the data storage management component that stores metadata referring to the stored data managed by the data storage management component, wherein the metadata includes the associated classifications for the stored data,

wherein at least the data storage management component or the data classification component is separate from the data storage component, and is configured to track interactions between the data storage component and the one or more applications running on the at least one computer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage component comprises network attached storage, and wherein at least one of the data storage management component, the data classification component, and the metabase are specifically configured for use with the network attached storage and for communication with the network attached storage via an open network protocol designed to perform backups over heterogeneous networks.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage component comprises direct attached storage, and wherein at least one of the data storage management component, the data classification component, and the metabase are specifically configured for use with the direct attached storage.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the data management state of the stored data comprises a data protection state of the stored data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage component comprises network attached storage, and wherein at least one of the data storage management component, the data classification component, and the metabase are specifically configured for use with the network attached storage.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage management component comprises a journaling agent to record interactions between the data storage component and the at least one application.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage component employs a closed, proprietary system, and wherein at least one of the data storage management component, the data classification component, and the metabase are specifically configured for use with the data storage component.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the data classifications identify a type of media used by the data storage component.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the data classifications identify an aging criteria of the stored data.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage management component facilitates storage operations by interpreting and processing the stored data to accommodate a format specific to the data storage device.

11. A method of accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access one or more documents;

searching a metabase to locate metadata describing one or more documents satisfying the request based on data classifications stored within the metadata that describe characteristics of the documents;

resolving references in the located metadata to identify one of the one or more data storage devices containing the data, wherein the resolving at least assists in determining which of the more or more data storage devices to access the data from, and wherein the access is at least in part based on a data access criteria; and

providing a signal to access, via the network and in response to the request, the one or more documents at the one or more identified data storage devices.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the data access criteria is based on reducing the impact of the request on a primary data storage device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the resolving of references determines an availability of the one or more documents at each data storage device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the metabase is distributed across multiple server systems and the searching of the metabase comprises identifying one or more metabases containing metadata describing documents satisfying the request.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the resolving of references comprises determining which of multiple copies of the document is currently available for access.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the resolving of references comprises determining at least an access time associated with multiple types of data storage devices.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one identified data storage device is network attached storage.

18. A system for backing up data, comprising:

a means for managing storage of data;

a means for creating a backup of the stored data;

a means for creating one or more copies of the backup using multiple storage devices; and

a means for storing metadata describing an availability of the backup data from the multiple storage devices, wherein the means for storing metadata includes means for tracking interactions with the backup data by components external to the means for storing metadata.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for creating one or more copies of the backup creates a secondary copy from a primary copy of the backup.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for creating one or more copies modifies the backup by performing storage operations on the backup before creating the one or more copies.