Storage management across multiple time zones

• US 6,760,723 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Oshinsky, David Alan, May, Andreas, Ignatius, Paul, Prahlad, Anand
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US09/877,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/3, 707/202, 707/203, 707/204, 707/205, 707/500.1, 711/154, 705/8
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1446 Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A storage management system that manages the storage and retrieval of digital files. The storage management system includes a plurality of storage devices that may be located in different time zones. The system also includes a processor that is configured to maneuver the digital files among the plurality of storage devices according to commands that are received from software programs that operate on the processor. In one embodiment, the system includes a retrieval control while in another embodiment a storage control is included. Either embodiment takes into account the different problems that are introduced when the plurality of storage devices are located in different time zones.

Claims

1. A data retrieval system comprising:

a computer system having a processor that supports operation of at least one software application that is used for retrieving data in the computer system;

a plurality of storage devices that are located in at least two time zones and communicatively coupled to the processor, the plurality of storage devices having data stored in at least one of the plurality of storage devices;

the software application having a retrieval module for retrieving data from the plurality of storage devices, the retrieval module accounting for differences in the at least two time zones in which the plurality of storage devices are located;

a storage and backup map that indicates to the retrieval module a particular storage device storing the data that is to be retrieved by the retrieval module; and

a data index stored on at least one of said plurality of storage devices that indicates to the retrieval module a particular location of the data that is to be retrieved by the retrieval module.

2. The data retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the software application includes a tool bar that allows access to particular characteristics of a file that has been stored in at least one of the plurality of storage devices.

3. The data retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the particular characteristics comprise file creation date, file backup dates, and file access dates.

4. The data retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the software application comprises a view menu that offers a user an option to select a date in which to begin displaying a history of a selected file(s).

5. A method for retrieving selected data in a computer system, the computer system having a plurality of storage media where data is stored, the storage media being located in at least two time zones and communicatively coupled to a plurality of computing devices, the method comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of computing devices storing the selected data based upon instructions contained in a storage map;

determining, according to a data index stored on the selected computing device, a particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media;

accounting for differences in the at least two time zones in which the plurality of storage media are located; and

displaying an indication of the selected data such that a user has an option of gaining additional information regarding the selected data.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising selecting the indication to display a backup history of a portion of the selected data.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising selecting the indication to display a history of access times for a portion of the selected data.

8. The method of claim 5, comprising selecting the indication to display an origination date of a portion of the selected data.

9. The method of claim 5, comprising migrating the selected data among the plurality of computing devices according to a particular storage policy.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising selecting the particular storage policy from the group consisting of storage sequences, storage logic, initial storage sequence selection criteria, storage sequence resolution criteria, and storage sequence adaptation criteria.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising selecting the initial storage sequence selection criteria from the group consisting of a user directed override, a user profile, an application, a file type, a user network location, and available storage space.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising selecting the storage sequence reselection criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, file type usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising selecting the storage sequence adaptation criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

14. The method of claim 5, comprising:

migrating at least a portion of the selected data from a first storage media in a first time zone to a second storage media in a second time zone; and

associating a time stamp from the first storage media with the at least a portion of the selected data migrated to the second storage media.

15. The method of claim 5, comprising retrieving the selected data from the particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising retrieving the selected data using a retrieval control module.

17. A system for retrieving stored data in a computer storage management system, the system comprising:

a plurality of storage media where data is stored, the storage media being located in at least two time zones and communicatively coupled to a plurality of computing devices; and

a retrieval control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of computing devices;

wherein the retrieval control module is configured to select one of the plurality of computing devices storing the selected data based upon instructions contained in a storage map;

wherein the selected computing device is configured to determine, according to a data index stored on the selected computing device, the particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media; and

wherein the retrieval control is configured to account for differences in the at least two time zones in which the plurality of storage media are located and to display an indication of the selected data such that a user has an option of gaining additional information regarding the selected data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the indication comprises a backup history of a portion of the selected data.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the indication comprises a history of access times for a portion of the selected data.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the indication comprises an origination date of a portion of the selected data.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the retrieval control module is configured to migrate the selected data among the plurality of computing devices according to a particular storage policy.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the retrieval control module selects the particular storage policy from the group consisting of storage sequences, storage logic, initial storage sequence selection criteria, storage sequence resolution criteria, and storage sequence adaptation criteria.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the retrieval control module selects the initial storage sequence selection criteria from the group consisting of a user directed override, a user profile, an application, a file type, a user network location, and available storage space.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the retrieval control module selects the storage sequence reselection criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, file type usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the retrieval control module selects the storage sequence adaptation criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the retrieval control module is configured to migrate at least a portion of the selected data from a first storage media in a first time zone to a second storage media in a second time zone and associate a time stamp from the first storage media with the at least a portion of the selected data migrated to the second storage media.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the retrieval control module is configured to retrieve the selected data from the particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media.

28. A computer usable medium or media storing program code which, when executed on a computerized device, causes the computerized device to execute a method for retrieving selected data in a computer system, the computer system having a plurality of storage media where data is stored, the storage media being located in at least two time zones and communicatively coupled to a plurality of computing devices, the method comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of computing devices storing the selected data based upon instructions contained in a storage map;

determining, according to a data index stored on the selected computing device, a particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media;

accounting for differences in the at least two time zones in which the plurality of storage media are located; and

displaying an indication of the selected data such that a user has an option of gaining additional information regarding the selected data.

29. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising selecting the indication to display a backup history of a portion of the selected data.

30. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising selecting the indication to display a history of access times for a portion of the selected data.

31. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising selecting the indication to display an origination date of a portion of the selected data.

32. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising migrating the selected data among the plurality of computing devices according to a particular storage policy.

33. The computer usable medium or media of claim 32, the method further comprising selecting the particular storage policy from the group consisting of storage sequences, storage logic, initial storage sequence selection criteria, storage sequence resolution criteria, and storage sequence adaptation criteria.

34. The computer usable medium or media of claim 33, the method further comprising selecting the initial storage sequence selection criteria from the group consisting of a user directed override, a user profile, an application, a file type, a user network location, and available storage space.

35. The computer usable medium or media of claim 33, the method further comprising selecting the storage sequence reselection criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, file type usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

36. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising selecting the storage sequence adaptation criteria from the group consisting of specific file usage history, a user profile, a user network relocation, available storage space, and added storage media.

37. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising:

migrating at least a portion of the selected data from a first storage media in a first time zone to a second storage media in a second time zone; and

associating a time stamp from the first storage media with the at least a portion of the selected data migrated to the second storage media.

38. The computer usable medium or media of claim 28, the method further comprising retrieving the selected data from the particular location of the selected data on the plurality of storage media.

39. The computer usable medium or media of claim 38, the method further comprising retrieving the selected data using a retrieval control module.