Data mining systems and methods for heterogeneous data sources

• US 8,315,981 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Prahlad, Anand, Gokhale, Parag, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Lu, Jun, Pawar, Rahul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US12/750,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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

Systems and methods integrate disparate backup devices with a unified interface. In certain examples, a management console manages data from various backup devices, while retaining such data in its native format. The management console can display a hierarchical view the client devices and/or their data and can further provide utilities for processing the various data formats. A data structure including fields for storing both metadata common to the client device data and value-added metadata can be used to mine or process the data of the disparate client devices. The unified single platform and interface reduces the need for multiple data management products and/or customized data utilities for each individual client device and provides a single pane of glass view into data management operations. Integrating the various types of storage formats and media allows a user to retain existing storage infrastructures and further facilitates scaling to meet long-term management needs.

Claims

1. A method for processing data from a plurality of heterogeneous client devices, the method comprising:

providing a single interface including on-screen graphics representing a plurality of heterogeneous client devices in a storage network system, wherein the plurality of heterogeneous client devices comprises first client devices storing backup data in different backup formats and second client devices storing first data generated by native applications executing on the second client devices, the native applications being other than data backup applications, wherein the single interface is provided via a management console executing on a computing device in network communication with the heterogeneous client devices;

receiving a data operation request including (i) a selection of at least one second client device, and (ii) a first data management operation performed on the first data of the at least one second client device, the first data of the at least one second client device generated by a first native application of the native applications;

copying the first data of the at least one second client device from storage associated with the at least one second client device to a first memory location associated with a proxy device, where the data is obtained using a data connector that is in communication with the management console, the data connector corresponding to a file format associated with the first native application;

emulating, using one or more processors and on the proxy device, the first native application;

processing with the emulated native application the first data management operation on the copied first data; and

storing the processed, copied first data on a storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first native application comprises a database application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first native application comprises an electronic messaging application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first data management operation comprises identifying a first mailbox within the first data of the at least one second client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on said processing, updating a catalog comprising metadata corresponding to the first data of the at least one second client device.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving a second data operation request including (i) a second selection of at least one first client device, and (ii) a second data management operation to be performed on the backup data of the at least one first client device; and

performing the second data management operation on the backup data of the at least one first client device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second data management operations comprise storing, respectively, the first data of the at least one second client device and the backup data of the at least one first client device in a common data format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the common data format comprises an archive format.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second data management operations is performed based on a migration storage policy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the migration storage policy evaluates a cost of storing the data on the at least one first client device and/or the at least one second client device.

11. A system for administering a storage network comprising heterogeneous client devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of first client computing devices configured to store backup data in different file formats;

a plurality of second client computing devices configured to store first data in different file formats, the first data generated by native applications executing on the second client computing devices, the native applications being other than data backup applications;

a plurality of first data connectors in communication with the management console and corresponding to the different file formats of the backup data; and

a plurality of second data connectors in communication with the management console and corresponding to the different file formats of the first data,

wherein the first and second data connectors are configured to obtain data from, respectively, the first and second client computing devices;

a proxy computing device comprising at least one emulated native application executing thereon;

a secondary storage device;

a management console executing on a computing device in network communication with the first and second client computing devices, the proxy computing device and the secondary storage device, wherein the management console is configured provide a single interface including on-screen graphics representing the first and second client computing devices,

and wherein the management console is configured to,

receive a first data operation request with respect to the first data stored on at least one of the second client computing devices, and

copy the first data of the at least one second client computing device to a staging location associated with the proxy computing device,

and wherein the proxy computing device is configured to process the first data of the at least one second client computing device with the at least one emulated native application and copy the processed first data to the secondary storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the management console is further configured to:

receive a second data operation request with respect to the backup data stored on at least one of the first client computing devices;

process the backup data of the at least one first client computing device; and

copy the processed backup data to the secondary storage device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first data of the at least one second client computing device and the backup data of the at least one first client computing device are stored on the secondary storage device in a common file.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second data operation requests is based on a storage policy to migrate data to a less expensive storage medium after a predetermined period of time.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first data connectors is configured to obtain backup data in a first file format from multiple ones of the first client computing devices.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein multiple ones of the second data connectors are configured to access data on a single one of the second client computing devices.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising a migration storage policy, and wherein the data operation request is based at least in part on the migration storage policy.