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

• US 20070203938A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Brockway, Brian, Ngo, David, Prahlad, Anand, Muller, Marcus, Schwartz, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US11/564,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203938A1
• 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. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data structure for describing interactions with stored data managed by a data management system, comprising:

an interaction type field, wherein the interaction type field describes a type of interaction that modified the stored data managed by the data management system;

a data identifying field, wherein the data identifying field describes the stored data that was modified;

an updated value field that specifies a new value for the stored data; and

a data classification field, wherein the data classification field specifies one or more data classifications associated with the stored data, and wherein the one or more data classifications relate the stored data to other stored data having similar characteristics that are not stored with the data.

2. The data structure of claim 1 further comprising an identifier field that distinguishes one instance of the data structure from other instances of the data structure.

3. The data structure of claim 1 further comprising a user field that identifies a user associated with the interaction.

4. The data structure of claim 1 further comprising a device field that identifies a device associated with the interaction.

5. The data structure of claim 1 wherein the data structure is part of a journal entry data structure.

6. The data structure of claim 1 wherein the data classification field identifies an application associated with the data.

7. The data structure of claim 1 further comprising an update sequence number that is used to determine recent activity associated with the stored data.

8. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data structure for describing a data storage operation, comprising:

a storage operation field that describes a storage operation to be performed;

a storage criteria field that specifies a manner in which the storage operation is to be performed based on one or more data classifications that describe characteristics of data that are not stored in a primary location of the data;

a metabase determining field that provides information to determine which of multiple metabases to query for information related to the storage operation; and

an operation status field that describes a status of the storage operation and coordinates at least a stage of the storage operation that accesses the metabase and a stage of the storage operation that accesses a data storage device.

9. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage operation field specifies a copy of data from the primary location of the data to a secondary location.

10. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria specifies a network location.

11. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria contains a schedule describing when the storage operation should be performed.

12. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes relationships between components of a storage system, and wherein the relationships are associated with tiers in a multi-tiered storage system.

13. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes relationships between components of a storage system.

14. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes retention policies.

15. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes encryption requirements.

16. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes components of a system to utilize to perform the storage operation.

17. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria describes media to be used by the storage operation.

18. The data structure of claim 8 further comprising a user preferences field that describes user settings related to the storage operation.

19. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data structure for describing data stored within a storage system, comprising:

a data identification field that distinguishes a data object from other data objects stored within the storage system;

a device field that identifies a device associated with the data object; and

a data classification field that specifies one or more classifications that describe the data object and a manner in which storage operation are performed on the data object,

wherein the storage system is configured to perform data storage operations using the data structure.

20. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a data object field that contains at least some of the contents of the data object.

21. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a reference count field that counts a number of instances of the data object stored within the storage system, and wherein data storage operations access the data at a location based on the reference count field.

22. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a storage policy field that specifies a storage policy for the data object.

23. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a data availability field that specifies an estimate of an amount of time required to access the data.

24. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a hierarchy information field that describes a relationship of the data object to other data objects in a hierarchy, and wherein the hierarchy is based on a network topography.

25. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a hierarchy information field that describes a relationship of the data object to other data objects in a hierarchy, and wherein the hierarchy is based on geographic information.

26. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising a hierarchy information field that describes a relationship of the data object to other data objects in a hierarchy.

27. The data structure of claim 19 further comprising an operation status field that describes a progress of an ongoing storage operation.