Systems and methods for performing storage operations using network attached storage

• US 8,078,583 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2009
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Prahlad, Anand, Schwartz, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US12/467,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 707/651, 707/640, 707/644, 707/652, 707/653, 707/654, 707661-666
• US Class Current: 707/651
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing hierarchical storage operations on electronic data in a computer network are provided. In one embodiment, the present invention may store electronic data from a network device to a network attached storage (NAS) device pursuant to certain storage criteria. The data stored on the NAS may be migrated to a secondary storage and a stub file having a pointer pointing to the secondary storage may be put at the location the data was previously stored on the NAS. The stub file may redirect the network device to the secondary storage if a read request for the data is received from the network device.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method for accessing electronic data, the method comprising:

intercepting a read request for electronic data in a computer system with a file system, wherein the read request is for the electronic data stored in a first storage location associated with a first directory of a first directory path in a network attached storage device, wherein the electronic data has been moved to a second storage location associated with a second directory in a different storage device, and wherein the second storage location is identified with a stub file;

determining the second storage location of the electronic data by reading information contained in the stub file with one or more computer processors;

invoking a restore operation with one or more computer processors to determine the second directory in which the electronic data is stored in the second storage location; and

mounting the second directory in the file system by associating the second directory with at least a portion of the first directory path;

retrieving, in response to the read request, the electronic data from the second storage location via the mounted second directory without transferring the electronic data to the first storage location associated with the first directory in the network attached storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising editing the electronic data retrieved from the second storage location without transferring the electronic data to the first storage location in the network attached storage device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising storing the edited electronic data in the first storage location in the network attached storage device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the stub file is updated to reflect edits made to the electronic data without transferring the electronic data to the first storage location.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising decompressing or otherwise decoding the retrieved data from the second storage location.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein decompressing the electronic data creates substantially the same format the electronic data was in prior to storage in the second storage location.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising replacing the stub file with the electronic data retrieved from the second storage location.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the stub file includes a UNIX softlink.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the stub file includes a pointer to the second storage location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the electronic data from the second storage location further comprises determining if the second storage location is mounted and, if not mounted, mounting the second storage location.

11. A method for accessing electronic data, the method comprising:

intercepting a read request for electronic data in a computer system, wherein the read request is for the electronic data stored in a first storage location associated with a first directory of a first directory path in a network attached storage device, wherein the electronic data has been moved to a second storage location associated with a second directory in a different storage device, and wherein the second storage location is identified with a stub file;

determining the second storage location of the electronic data by reading information contained in the stub file with one or more computer processors; and

mounting the second directory in the file system by associating the second directory with at least a portion of the first directory path;

retrieving, in response to the read request, the electronic data from the second storage location via the mounted second directory without transferring the electronic data to the first storage location associated with the first directory in the network attached storage device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising editing the electronic data retrieved from the second storage location without transferring the electronic data to the first storage location in the network attached storage device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising storing the edited electronic data in the first storage location in the network attached storage device.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the stub file is updated to reflect edits made to the electronic data in the second storage location without transferring edits made to the electronic data to the first storage location.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising decompressing data retrieved from the second storage location.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein decompressing the electronic data creates substantially the same format the electronic data was in prior to storage in the second storage location.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising replacing the stub file with the electronic data retrieved from the second storage location.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the stub file includes a UNIX softlink.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the stub file includes a pointer to the second storage location.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein retrieving the electronic data from the second storage location further comprises determining if the second storage location is mounted and, if not mounted, mounting the second storage location.