Method and system for grouping storage system components

• US 7,849,266 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Vibhor, Anand, Prahlad, Anand, Kavuri, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Tuan V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan; Duc T
• Application Number:
  US12/392,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• 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 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• 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 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for associating a storage system component, e.g. a server, client, machine, sub-client, or other storage system component, with one or more other storage system components into a group. Storage preferences are defined for the group which is automatically associated with each component in the group. The storage preferences define how storage operations are to be performed on the storage system components.

Claims

1. A method for grouping networked storage system components, the method comprising:

associating with one or more computer processors a first group of clients and storage system components with a first storage policy which defines one or more retention storage preferences, wherein the retention storage preferences of the first storage policy are associated with one or more storage operations that are to be performed by at least one of the storage system components in the first group;

associating with one or more computer processors a second group of clients and storage system components with a second storage policy which defines one or more retention storage preferences, wherein the retention storage preferences of the second storage policy are associated with one or more storage operations that are to be performed by the storage system components in the second group;

reassigning at least a first client associated with the first group to both the first group and the second group, wherein the first client automatically inherits the second storage policy associated with the second group while retaining the storage policy associated with the first group, and in the event a first storage operation associated with the first storage policy conflicts with a second storage operation associated the second storage policy, the storage policy associated with a higher priority controls; and

performing one or more storage operations associated with the storage policy with the higher priority.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when a first storage system component of the one or more storage system components associated with the first group is reassigned to both the first group and the second group, the first storage system component automatically inherits the second storage policy associated with the second group while retaining the first storage policy associated with the first group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the event a non-conflict storage operation associated with the first storage policy is to be performed on a reassigned storage system component, performing the non-conflict storage operation in accordance with the first storage policy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the event a non-conflict storage operation associated with the second storage policy is to be performed on a reassigned storage system component, performing the non-conflict storage operation in accordance with the second storage policy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning storage system components to one or more groups and selecting storage system components for a group based on the storage system components having a common characteristic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage system components further comprise sub-client components of a plurality of clients, the clients being data sources for the storage operation.

7. A computer system for grouping networked storage system components, the system comprising:

multiple clients and storage system components comprising one or more computer processors, wherein at least a first client and one or more storage system components are associated with a first group and at least a second client and one or more storage system components are associated with a second group;

at least a first storage policy which defines one or more retention storage preferences associated with the first group, wherein the retention storage preferences of the first storage policy are associated with one or more storage operations that are to be performed by at least one of the storage system components in the first group;

at least a second storage policy defining one or more retention storage preferences associated with the second group, wherein the retention storage preferences of the second storage policy are associated with one or more storage operations that are to be performed by at least one of the storage system components in the second group; and

wherein in the event the first client is reassigned to both the first group and the second group the first client automatically inherits the second storage policy associated with the second group while retaining the storage policy associated with the first group, and in the event a first storage operation associated with the first storage policy conflicts with a second storage operation associated with the second storage policy, the storage policy associated with a higher priority controls; and

wherein one or more storage operations associated with the storage policy with the higher priority are performed.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein when a first storage system component of the one or more storage system components associated with the first group is reassigned to both the first group and the second group, the first storage system component automatically inherits the second storage policy associated with the second group while retaining the first storage policy associated with the first group.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein in the event a non-conflict storage operation associated with the first storage policy is to be performed on a reassigned storage system component, performing the non-conflict storage operation in accordance with the first storage policy.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein in the event a non-conflict storage operation associated with the second storage policy is to be performed on a reassigned storage system component, performing the non-conflict storage operation in accordance with the second storage policy.

11. The computer system of claim 7, comprising assigning storage system components to one or more groups and selecting storage system components for a group based on the storage system components having a common characteristic.

12. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the storage system components comprise sub-client components of a plurality of clients, the clients being data sources for the storage operation.