DATA MINING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HETEROGENEOUS DATA SOURCES

• US 20100332453A1
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Lu, Jun, Gokhale, Parag, Prahlad, Anand, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Pawar, Rahul S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,315,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Systems and methods integrate disparate backup devices with a unified interface. In certain examples, a management console manages data from various backup devices, while retaining such data in its native format. The management console can display a hierarchical view the client devices and/or their data and can further provide utilities for processing the various data formats. A data structure including fields for storing both metadata common to the client device data and value-added metadata can be used to mine or process the data of the disparate client devices. The unified single platform and interface reduces the need for multiple data management products and/or customized data utilities for each individual client device and provides a single pane of glass view into data management operations. Integrating the various types of storage formats and media allows a user to retain existing storage infrastructures and further facilitates scaling to meet long-term management needs.

Claims

1. A method for processing data from a plurality of heterogeneous client devices, the method comprising:

providing a single interface including on-screen graphics representing a plurality of heterogeneous client devices in a storage network system, wherein the plurality of heterogeneous client devices comprises first client devices storing backup data in different backup formats and second client devices storing non-backup data;

receiving a data operation request including (i) a selection of at least one second client device, and (ii) a first data management operation to be performed on the non-backup data of the at least one second client device;

copying the non-backup data of the at least one second client device to a first memory location;

emulating on a proxy device a native application associated with the non-backup data of the at least one second client device;

processing with the emulated native application the first data management operation on the copied non-backup data and storing the processed, copied non-backup data on a storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the native application comprises a database application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the native application comprises an electronic messaging application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first data management operation comprises identifying a first mailbox within the non-backup data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on said processing, updating a catalog comprising metadata corresponding to the non-backup data of the at least one second client device.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving a second data operation request including (i) a second selection of at least one first client device, and (ii) a second data management operation to be performed on the backup data of the at least one first client device; and

performing the second data management operation on the backup data of the at least one first client device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second data management operations comprise storing, respectively, the non-backup data and the backup data in a common data format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the common data format comprises an archive format.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second data management operations is performed based on a migration storage policy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the migration storage policy evaluates a cost of storing the data on the at least one first client device and/or the at least one second client device.

11. A system for administering a storage network comprising heterogeneous client devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of first client devices configured to store backup data in different file formats;

a plurality of second client devices configured to store non-backup data in different file formats;

a proxy device comprising at least one emulated native application executing thereon;

a secondary storage device;

a management console executing on a computing device in network communication with the first and second client devices, the proxy device and the secondary storage device, wherein the management console is configured provide a single interface including on-screen graphics representing the first and second client devices,

and wherein the management console is configured to,

receive a first data operation request with respect to the non-backup data stored on at least one of the second client devices, and

copy the non-backup data of the at least one second client device to a staging location associated with the proxy device,

and wherein the proxy device is configured to process the non-backup data of the at least one second client device with the at least one emulated native application and copy the processed non-backup data to the secondary storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the management console is further configured to:

receive a second data operation request with respect to the backup data stored on at least one of the first client devices;

process the backup data of the at least one first client device; and

copy the processed backup data to the secondary storage device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the non-backup data of the at least one second client device and the backup data of the at least one first client device are stored on the secondary storage device in a common file.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second data operation requests is based on a storage policy to migrate data to a less expensive storage medium after a predetermined period of time.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of first data connectors in communication with the management console and corresponding to the different file formats of the backup data; and

a plurality of second data connectors in communication with the management console and corresponding to the different file formats of the non-backup data,

wherein the first and second data connectors are configured to obtain data from, respectively, the first and second client devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first data connectors is configured to obtain backup data in a first file format from multiple ones of the first client devices.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein multiple ones of the second data connectors are configured to access non-backup data on a single one of the second client devices.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a migration storage policy, and wherein the data operation request is based at least in part on the migration storage policy.

19. A system for administering a storage network comprising heterogeneous client devices, the system comprising:

first means for storing backup data in a plurality of first file formats;

second means for storing non-backup data in a plurality of different second file formats;

means for providing a single interface including on-screen graphics representing said first and second storing means and for receiving a first data operation request with respect to the non-backup data stored on said second storing means;

means for processing a copy of the non-backup data with at least one emulated native application; and

third means for storing the processed copy of the non-backup data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said third storing means is further configured to store a copy of the backup data, wherein the processed copy of the non-backup data and the copy of the backup data are stored in a common data format.