Method, system, and apparatus for creating saved searches and auto discovery groups for a data protection system

• US 7,631,194 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wahlert, Brian M, van Ingen, Catharine, Berkowitz, Brian T, Rangegowda, Dharshan, Jazayeri, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabor; Amare
• Application Number:
  US10/937,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182, 713/189
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups

Abstract

A method for detecting changes to a production location is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of a portion of the production location that is to be protected and identifying a larger portion of the production location that contains the selected portion of the production location. Upon identifying the larger portion, a routine is created for evaluating the identified larger portion of the production location for changes. That routine is performed in order to detect changes to the production location.

Claims

1. A method for detecting changes to a production location, comprising:

receiving a selection of a portion of the production location that is to be protected;

identifying a larger portion of the production location that contains the selected portion of the production location;

mapping the selected portion to a protectable object contained within the production location;

creating a routine for evaluating the identified larger portion of the production location for changes, wherein creating a routine includes creating an auto discovery group including an auto discovery group search parameter and the mapped protectable object;

identifying the mapped protectable object and the status of the mapped protectable object, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the mapped protectable object;

performing the created routine;

monitoring the group for changes;

detecting an addition of a second protectable object to the mapping of the auto discovery group search parameter; and

automatically adding an identity of the second protectable object to the auto discovery group table and including a status of the second protectable object, wherein the status of the second mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the second mapped protectable object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the larger portion of the production location is a portion of the production location that is not selected for protection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the production location is a selection of a Namespace Element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the larger portion of the production location is identified by a Namespace.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the production location is a selection of a Namespace Element;

and

wherein the larger portion of the production location is identified by a Namespace.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the production location is a server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the production location is a server and the larger portion of the production location is the entire production location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the entire production location is a domain.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected portion of the production location is a Namespace Element that represents a volume, and the larger portion of the production location is a server containing the volume.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the created routine includes:

determining if the larger portion of the production location has changed;

including in a table a creation detection time for any object that is detected as being added to the larger portion of the production location; and

including in the table a removal detection time for any object that is detected as being removed from the larger portion of the production location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the created routine includes:

determining if the larger portion of the production location has changed; and

alerting a user if it is determined that the larger portion of the production location has changed.

12. A method for detecting changes to a portion of a production location that is identified for protection, comprising:

receiving a selection of a Namespace Element representative of the portion of the production location identified for protection;

mapping the selected Namespace Element to a protectable object contained within the production location;

creating an auto discovery group including an auto discovery group search parameter and the mapped protectable object;

identifying the mapped protectable object and the status of the mapped protectable object, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the mapped protectable object;

remapping the auto discovery group search parameters to the protectable object on the production location;

monitoring the group for changes;

detecting an addition of a second protectable object to the mapping of the auto discovery group search parameter; and

automatically adding an identity of the second protectable object to the auto discovery group table and including a status of the second protectable object, wherein the status of the second mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the second mapped protectable object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the auto discovery group search parameter encompasses a larger portion of the production location then the portion of the production location identified for protection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a protection by user status of the mapped protectable object.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status of the mapped protectable object.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a pending status of the mapped protectable object.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies an excluded status of the mapped protectable object.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the auto discovery group table is updated in response to comparing the auto discovery group table and the auto discovery group results to contain the second protectable object and a status of the second protectable object.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring the group for changes includes:

determining if a mapping between the auto discovery group search parameter and the protectable object has changed.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring the group includes:

determining if an additional protectable object maps to the auto discovery group search parameter.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating an alert identifying a change in the mapping of the auto discovery group search parameter.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a response to the alert to modify the group.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

adding the created group to a protection scheme.

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to monitoring the group for changes, detecting a removal of the protectable object from the mapping of the auto discovery group search parameter; and

generating an alert identifying the removal of the protectable object.

25. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable components for detecting a change on a production location, the components comprising:

an auto discovery group, automatically generated in response to an indication to protect at least a portion of the production location;

an auto discovery group table, including an identification of a protectable object contained within the production location and a status of the protectable object, wherein the status of the protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the protectable object; and

an auto discovery routine, configured to identify the addition of a new protectable object to the production location, including an identification of the new protectable object contained within the production location and a status of the protectable object, wherein the status of the new protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the new protectable object.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group includes an auto discovery group search parameter;

and identifies a mapping between the auto discovery group search parameter and at least one protectable object.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the indication to protect at least a portion of the production location is a selection of a Namespace Element representing a portion of the production location.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the indication to protect at least a portion of the production location is a creation of a protected group.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the auto discovery group identifies a plurality of Namespace Elements.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group table identifies whether the protectable object is currently protected by a user.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group table identifies whether the protectable object is currently protected by a plan.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group table identifies whether the protectable object is excluded from protection.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group table identifies whether the protectable object is pending approval for protection.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the auto discovery group table includes a protectable object that does not match the auto discovery group.

35. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable components that perform a method for detecting changes to a portion of a production location that is identified for protection, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a Namespace Element representative of the portion of the production location identified for protection;

mapping the selected Namespace Element to a protectable object contained within the production location;

creating an auto discovery group including an auto discovery group search parameter and the mapped protectable object;

identifying the mapped protectable object and the status of the mapped protectable object, wherein the status of the mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the mapped protectable object;

remapping the auto discovery group search parameters to the protectable object on the production location;

monitoring the group for changes;

detecting an addition of a second protectable object to the mapping of the auto discovery group search parameter; and

automatically adding an identity of the second protectable object to the auto discovery group table and including a status of the second protectable object, wherein the status of the second mapped protectable object identifies a protection by plan status, a pending status or an excluded status of the second mapped protectable object.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the auto discovery group search parameter encompasses a larger portion of the production location then the portion of the production location identified for protection.