MODULAR BACKUP AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STORAGE AREA NETWORK

• US 20130007391A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Crescenti, John, Kavuri, Srinivas, Oshinsky, David Alan, Prahlad, Anand
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A modular computer storage system and method is provided for managing and directing data archiving functions, which is scalable and comprehends various storage media as well as diverse operating systems on a plurality of client devices. A client component is associated with one or more client devices for generating archival request. A file processor directs one or more storage devices, through one or more media components, which control the actual physical level backup on various storage devices. Each media component creates a library indexing system for locating stored data. A management component coordinates the archival functions between the various client components and the file processor, including setting scheduling policies, aging policies, index pruning policies, drive cleaning policies, configuration information, and keeping track of running and waiting jobs.

Claims

1. A system for directing storage of data in a computer network, the system comprising:

a plurality of client computing devices configured to communicate with a first network comprising a local area network wherein data is transferred as files on the local area network with a first protocol;

the plurality of client computing devices further configured to communicate with a second network comprising a storage area network, wherein data is transferred at least as block writes on the storage area network with a second protocol that is different than the first protocol;

a file processor executing in one or more computer processors configured to communicate with the plurality of client computing devices with both the first network comprising the local area network and the second network comprising the storage area network, the file processor configured to maintain a network file system of the data transferred from the plurality of client computing devices to the plurality of storage devices through the first network and configured to maintain the network file system for the data transferred from the plurality of client computing devices to the plurality of storage devices through the second network, wherein the file processor provides the network file system for the data transferred by both the first and second networks;

a media component executing in one or more computer processors configured to communicate with the plurality of client computing devices with both the first network comprising the local area network and the second network comprising the storage area network, the media component further configured to communicate with the network file system associated with the file processor, wherein the media component is configured to maintain an index of backup data associated with the first network and further maintains the index for backup data associated with the second network, wherein the backup data comprises both data stored in a file basis and data stored in a block write basis;

wherein the media component uses the index to process requests for backup data stored in the file basis; and

wherein the media component uses the index to process requests for the backup data stored in the block write basis.