Hierarchical systems and methods for performing data storage operations
First Claim
1. A hierarchical storage management system for storing data in a network environment, the storage management system comprising:
- a plurality of backup cells comprising a first plurality of physical backup cells and a second plurality of virtual backup cells;
a first manager component comprising one or more computer processors associated with at least one network computing device of a plurality of network computing devices, the first manager component configured to manage backup operations for at least one of the first plurality of physical backup cells;
a second manager component associated with at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup cells, wherein the second manager component is configured to execute on at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and further configured to manage backup operations for at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup cells;
a media component configured to execute on at least one network computing device of a plurality of network computing devices and being communicatively coupled to at least one storage device to store data to the at least one storage device;
a client component configured to execute on at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and to obtain the data from at least one of the plurality of network computing devices according to first parameters maintained by the client component, the client component being further configured to transmit the data to the media component;
wherein the second manager component is configured to direct the client component to obtain the data according to second parameters maintained by the second manager component and to perform backup operations on the plurality of virtual backup cells; and
wherein the second manager is further controlled by the first manager component and performs backup operations on the plurality of virtual backup cells in response to the first manager component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a hierarchical backup system. The interconnected network computing devices are put into groups of backup cells. A backup cell has a manager software agent responsible maintaining and initiating a backup regime for the network computing devices in the backup cell. The backups are directed to backup devices within the backup cell. Several backup cells can be defined. A manager software agent for a particular cell may be placed into contact with the manager software agent of another cell, by which information about the cells may be passed back and forth. Additionally, one of the software agents may be given administrative control over another software agent with which it is in communication.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A hierarchical storage management system for storing data in a network environment, the storage management system comprising:
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a plurality of backup cells comprising a first plurality of physical backup cells and a second plurality of virtual backup cells; a first manager component comprising one or more computer processors associated with at least one network computing device of a plurality of network computing devices, the first manager component configured to manage backup operations for at least one of the first plurality of physical backup cells; a second manager component associated with at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup cells, wherein the second manager component is configured to execute on at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and further configured to manage backup operations for at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup cells; a media component configured to execute on at least one network computing device of a plurality of network computing devices and being communicatively coupled to at least one storage device to store data to the at least one storage device; a client component configured to execute on at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and to obtain the data from at least one of the plurality of network computing devices according to first parameters maintained by the client component, the client component being further configured to transmit the data to the media component; wherein the second manager component is configured to direct the client component to obtain the data according to second parameters maintained by the second manager component and to perform backup operations on the plurality of virtual backup cells; and wherein the second manager is further controlled by the first manager component and performs backup operations on the plurality of virtual backup cells in response to the first manager component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for performing a storage operation in a hierarchical storage management system, the method comprising:
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processing backup operations with a first management component comprising one or more computer processors, wherein the first management component is associated with at least a first backup cell of a first plurality of physical backup cells; processing backup operations with a second management component associated with at least a second virtual backup cell of a second plurality of virtual backup cells, wherein the second management component is hierarchically coupled to the first manager component; instructing the second manager component with the first manager component to initiate the storage operation on the second virtual backup cell; obtaining the data from the first client device with a client component configured to execute on the first client device; storing the data to a storage device according to parameters maintained by the first manager component; updating an index maintained by the media component, the index indicating a physical location of the data stored on the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification