EFFICIENT DATA MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS DOCKING LIMITED-FEATURE DATA MANAGEMENT MODULES TO A FULL-FEATURED DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20120084262A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Pawar, Rahul S., Gokhale, Parag, Dwarampudi, Rama Naga Bheemeswara Reddy
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/667
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45583 Memory management, e.g. access or allocation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/442 Shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

Software, firmware, and systems are described herein that permit an organization to dock previously-utilized, limited-feature data management modules with a full-featured data management system. By docking limited-feature data management modules to a full-featured data management system, metadata and data from the various limited-feature data management modules can be integrated and utilized more efficiently and effectively. Moreover, additional data management features can be provided to users after a more seamless transition.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to be connectable to a server computer via a network, and wherein the computing device is coupled to at least one primary data storage device, the method comprising:

executing a limited-feature data management software module,

wherein the limited-feature data management software module is configured to perform at least one data management operation for the computing device;

generating data or metadata based at least in part on the execution of the limited-feature data management software module;

storing generated data or metadata in the primary storage;

discovering and docking the computing device with a full-featured data management system,

wherein the computing device performs the docking when coupled to the network, and

wherein the full-featured data management system is accessible via the server computer;

receiving configuration settings and commands from the full-featured data management system;

performing at least one storage operation,

wherein the at least one storage operation includes—

analyzing or integrating generated metadata or data,

creating copies of generated metadata or data, or

restoring data; and

,

receiving from the full-featured data management system, additional data management features or functionalities related to the metadata or data,

wherein the additional data management features or functionalities include additional data management features or functionalities not available from the limited-feature data management software module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating and storing includes generating and storing metadata and data related to virtual machines; and

,

wherein the method further comprises;

automatically identifying and shutting down idle virtual machines; and

receiving virtual machine life cycle management configuration settings or policies from the full-featured data management system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of selected internet-accessible websites;

mining the selected websites for metadata;

performing searches of metadata and providing search results limited to the selected websites;

wherein the receiving includes receiving private search configuration settings and commands;

wherein the performing the at least one storage operation includes—

performing a storage operation to integrate searchable metadata, and

performing a storage operation to create a private copy of selected websites; and

performing searches of metadata and providing search results limited to the private copies of the selected websites.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing backup data storage operations for a group of client computers to create backup copies of client data and to generate metadata;

wherein receiving configuration settings and commands includes receiving secondary storage operation configuration settings and commands, and performing storage operations in accordance with those configuration settings and commands; and

,

wherein, when docked to the server computer,

performing storage operations to integrate metadata or data with other metadata or data managed by the full-featured data management system; and

receiving additional data management features from the full-featured data management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the generating data or metadata includes generating data and metadata during storage operations;

the discovering and docking includes discovering and docking with the full-featured data management system using HTTP protocols;

the receiving configuration settings and commands includes receiving secondary storage operation configuration settings and commands and performing secondary storage operations in accordance with the received configuration settings and commands; and

,

the performing at least one storage operation includes performing secondary storage operations to integrate the metadata and data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the executing the limited-feature data management software module includes creating a content store in primary storage for selected data and metadata;

the storing generated data or metadata in the primary storage includes storing metadata in the content store; and

,

the performing at least one storage operation includes performing storage operations to integrate metadata from the content store with metadata managed by the full-featured data management system.

7. A tangible computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by at least one data processing device, performs a method comprising:

executing a limited-feature data management module,

wherein the limited-feature data management module is configured to perform at least one data management operation for a data processing device;

generating data or metadata based at least in part on the execution of the limited-feature data management module;

storing generated data or metadata in the primary storage;

interfacing with a full-featured data management system,

receiving configuration settings or commands from the full-featured data management system;

performing at least one storage operation,

wherein the at least one storage operation includes—

analyzing or integrating generated metadata or data, or

creating copies of generated metadata or data, or

restoring data; and

,

receiving from the full-featured data management system, additional data management features or functionalities related to the metadata or data,

wherein the additional data management features or functionalities include additional data management features or functionalities not available from the limited-feature data management module.

8. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein:

generating and storing includes generating and storing metadata a data related to virtual machines; and

,

wherein the method further comprises;

automatically shutting down at least one idle virtual machine; and

receiving virtual machine data from the full-featured data management system, wherein the received virtual machine data includes a stub associated with a logical location at which a virtual machine file associated with a shut down virtual machine is located.

9. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an indication of selected URLs or network addresses;

extracting metadata from the selected URLs or network addresses;

performing searches of metadata and providing search results limited to the selected URLs or network addresses;

wherein the receiving includes receiving private search configuration settings or commands;

wherein the performing the at least one storage operation includes—

performing a storage operation to integrate searchable metadata, and

performing a storage operation to create a private copy of selected URLs or network addresses; and

performing searches of metadata and providing search results limited to the private copies of the selected URLs or network addresses.

10. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising:

performing backup data storage operations for a group of clients to create backup copies of client data or to generate metadata;

wherein receiving configuration settings or commands includes receiving secondary storage operation configuration settings and commands, and performing storage operations in accordance with those configuration settings and commands; and

,

wherein, when interfaced to the server,

performing storage operations to add metadata or data with other metadata or data managed by the full-featured data management system.

11. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein:

the generating data or metadata includes generating data and metadata during storage operations;

the interfacing includes discovering and docking with the full-featured data management system using HTTP protocols;

the receiving configuration settings or commands includes receiving secondary storage operation configuration settings and commands and performing secondary storage operations in accordance with the received configuration settings and commands; and

,

the performing at least one storage operation includes performing secondary storage operations to integrate the metadata or data.

12. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein:

the executing the limited-feature data management module includes creating a content store in primary storage for selected data or metadata;

the storing generated data or metadata in the primary storage includes storing metadata in the content store; and

,

the performing at least one storage operation includes performing storage operations to add metadata from the content store to metadata managed by the full-featured data management system.

13. A method for detecting and archiving idle virtual machines running on at least one computing device having primary data storage, the method comprising:

automatically determining that a virtual machine has been idle for at least a first predefined period of time,

wherein the virtual machine is one of multiple virtual machines running on the at least one computing device,

wherein the virtual machine is stored on the primary data storage, and

wherein the virtual machine is associated with at least one virtual machine file;

in response to the determining, shutting down the virtual machine; and

after the virtual machine has been shut down for at least a second predefined period of time, copying the at least one virtual machine file to a secondary storage device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein copying the at least one virtual machine file to the secondary storage device includes replacing the at least one virtual machine file with a stub referring to the location of the at least one virtual machine file on the secondary storage device, and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, via a graphical user interface, an indication that the virtual machine has been archived;

detecting a selection of the virtual machine;

providing a menu of options to a user via the graphical user interface, wherein the options include an option to restore the virtual machine;

detecting a selection of the option to restore the virtual machine;

restoring the at least one virtual machine file; and

starting the virtual machine.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein copying the at least one virtual machine file to the secondary storage device includes replacing the at least one virtual machine file with a stub referring to the location of the at least one virtual machine file on the primary data storage, and wherein the method further comprises:

providing an indication that the virtual machine has been archived;

detecting a selection of the virtual machine;

providing an option to restore the virtual machine;

detecting a selection of the option; and

,

restoring the at least one virtual machine file.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein determining that the virtual machine has been idle for at least the first predefined period of time includes determining that application-level processes of the virtual machine have been idle for at least the first predefined period of time.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein copying the at least one virtual machine file to the secondary storage device includes replacing the at least one virtual machine file with a stub referring to the location of the at least one virtual machine file on the secondary storage device, and wherein the method further comprises deleting the at least one virtual machine file from the primary data storage.

18. A system for detecting and archiving idle virtual machines, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a component that automatically—

detects an idle virtual machine from among multiple virtual machines,

determines that the one detected virtual machine has been idle for a first period of time, and

shuts down the detected virtual machine; and

a component that, after the one detected virtual machine has been shut down for a second period of time,

(a) archives a virtual machine file associated with the virtual machine by copying the virtual machine file to a storage device and

(b) replaces the virtual machine file with a logical link or electronic address associated with the stored virtual machine file.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a component that replaces an icon normally associated with the detected virtual machine with a new icon corresponding to archived virtual machines,

wherein the new icon provides a visual indication that the virtual machine has been archived;

a component that detects that a user selects the new icon;

a component that provides an option to restore and restart the virtual machine;

a component that detects a selection of the option; and

a component that restores the archived virtual machine file and restarts the virtual machine.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the virtual machine file is stored in the memory, and wherein the component that replaces the virtual machine file with a logical link or electronic address also (c) deletes the virtual machine file the memory.