Systems and methods for classifying and transferring information in a storage network
First Claim
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1. A method of classifying data generated within a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a file system and a data storage device, the method comprising:
- intercepting the generated data, wherein the intercepted data is to be stored at the data storage device;
generating a log entry within a log, wherein the log contains entries associated with the intercepted data;
analyzing entries within the log to identify entries that satisfy at least one data management criterion, wherein the data management criterion is associated with data storage operations to be performed on the generated data;
storing the intercepted data generated within the computer system on the data storage device;
analyzing at least some of the data stored on the data storage device;
based upon the analysis of the data, generating metadata that describes the data, wherein the generated metadata does not include metadata generated by the file system, or wherein the generated metadata includes both metadata generated by the file system and metadata other than metadata generated by the file system, including metadata indicating a period of time before which a data storage operation is to be performed on the data; and
adding the generated metadata to a metabase, wherein the generated metadata describes the intercepted data associated with the identified log entries and refers to the data stored on the data storage device, but wherein the metabase does not include the data.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.
502 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of classifying data generated within a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a file system and a data storage device, the method comprising:
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intercepting the generated data, wherein the intercepted data is to be stored at the data storage device; generating a log entry within a log, wherein the log contains entries associated with the intercepted data; analyzing entries within the log to identify entries that satisfy at least one data management criterion, wherein the data management criterion is associated with data storage operations to be performed on the generated data; storing the intercepted data generated within the computer system on the data storage device; analyzing at least some of the data stored on the data storage device; based upon the analysis of the data, generating metadata that describes the data, wherein the generated metadata does not include metadata generated by the file system, or wherein the generated metadata includes both metadata generated by the file system and metadata other than metadata generated by the file system, including metadata indicating a period of time before which a data storage operation is to be performed on the data; and adding the generated metadata to a metabase, wherein the generated metadata describes the intercepted data associated with the identified log entries and refers to the data stored on the data storage device, but wherein the metabase does not include the data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computing system for classifying data stored within a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a file system and an application program configured to generate program data to be employed by the computer system, the computing system comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a monitor agent configured to process at least part of the program data to create at least one log entry related to the program data; a data collection agent configured to analyze the at least one log entry and select at least part of the program data associated with the at least one log entry; a data classification agent configured to identify characteristics of and assign classifications to the selected program data, wherein a classification associates the selected program data with other program data having similar characteristics, wherein the data classification agent assigns classifications to the selected program data by analyzing the selected program data; and assigning classifications based upon the analysis of the selected program data; and a metabase configured to store metadata information about the selected program data, wherein the metadata information contains at least the assigned classifications of the selected program data, wherein the metadata information does not contain metadata generated by the file system, or wherein the metadata information contains both metadata generated by the file system and metadata other than metadata generated by the file system, including metadata relating to data storage operations, and wherein the metabase is configured to receive requests from the computer system or other computing systems to perform data management operations based on the assigned classifications. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computing system for classifying data stored within a computing device, the computing system comprising:
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a processor; a memory; a means for storing data; a means for collecting stored data comprising a data collection agent configured to identify data objects stored by the means for storing data and obtain information about identified data objects; a means for classifying data comprising a data classification agent for analyzing content of the identified data objects; and assigning classifications to identified data objects based upon the analysis of the content of the identified data objects, wherein the classifications are related to one or more applications that may use the data object, and wherein the classifications do not include metadata generated by the file system, or wherein the classifications include both metadata generated by the file system and metadata other than metadata generated by the file system, including metadata relating to data storage operations; and a means for storing metadata comprising a metabase configured to store information about identified data objects and their classifications. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a computing system cause the computing system to perform a method for classifying data stored in a data storage system, the method comprising:
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receiving a file to be stored in a data storage device; analyzing the file to determine characteristics associated with the file; determining one or more of multiple categorizations for the file based on the determined characteristics, wherein the categorizations identify trends associated with the file that are related to trends identified about other files; storing the one or more categorizations in a metabase that stores metadata and other information regarding the file and other data, wherein the metadata does not include metadata generated by the file system, or wherein the generated metadata includes both metadata generated by the file system and metadata other than metadata generated by the file system, including metadata relating to data storage operations; and performing a storage operation on the file with respect to the data storage device, based at least in part on the one or more categorizations for the file, wherein performing a storage operation on the file includes receiving a query that indicates one of the one or more categorizations; querying the metabase with the query; determining that the file satisfies the query; and accessing the file. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification