Systems and methods of media management, such as management of media to and from a media storage library

• US 8,346,733 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US11/694,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/674
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/004 Error avoidance G06F11/07 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22

Abstract

A system and method for determining media to be exported out of a media library is described. In some examples, the system determines a media component to be exported, determines the media component is in the media library for a specific process, and exports the media component after the process is completed.

Claims

1. A method of automatically performing a restore operation at a restore location within a data storage system that is operated by a first company and comprises a media library, the method comprising:

performing a data storage operation within the data storage system that results in storing data in a physical, removable media component, wherein the stored data is useable to perform a restore operation;

sending the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation to an offsite location;

wherein the offsite location is remote from the media library of the data storage system; and

wherein the offsite location is operated by a second company that is different than the first company that operates the data storage system;

receiving an automated indication to retrieve a physical, removable media component to perform the restore operation;

automatically identifying, using a processor and memory, the offsite physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

automatically identifying the offsite location of the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

automatically recalling from the offsite storage location, and to the restore location, the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation;

at the restore location, automatically recovering data by performing a restore operation using the data that is stored on the recalled physical, removable media component; and

,

automatically comparing the recalled physical, removable media component to the identified physical, removable media component; and

automatically recovering data only if the comparison determines that the recalled physical, removable media component is the identified physical, removable media component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the recalled physical, removable media component as the identified physical, removable media component.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically sending the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by automatically generating shipping materials to accompany the physical, removable media component.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically sending the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by alerting the offsite location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically recalling the physical, removable media component comprises automatically sending a message to the offsite location requesting the physical, removable media component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically identifying the offsite physical, removable media component comprises receiving an automatically generated recall flag.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically verifying that the data recovery is complete.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically verifying that the data recovery is complete; and

upon verifying the data recovery is complete, sending the recalled physical,

removable media component back to the offsite location, else retaining the physical, removable media component at the restore location.

9. A tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, perform a method for automatically performing a restore operation at a restore location within a data storage system that is operated by a first company and comprises library, the method comprising:

performing a data storage operation within the data storage system that results in storing data in a physical, removable media component, wherein the stored data is useable to perform a restore operation;

sending the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation to an offsite location;

wherein the offsite location is remote from the media library of the data storage system; and

wherein the offsite location is operated by a second company that is different than the first company that operates the data storage system;

receiving an automated indication to retrieve a physical, removable media component to perform the restore operation;

automatically identifying, using a processor and memory, the offsite physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

automatically identifying the offsite location of the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

automatically recalling from the offsite storage location, and to the restore location, the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation;

at the restore location, automatically recovering data by performing a restore operation using the data that is stored on the recalled physical, removable media component; and

,

automatically comparing the recalled physical, removable media component to the identified media component; and

automatically recovering data only if the comparison determines that the recalled physical, removable media component is the identified physical, removable media component.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

verifying the recalled physical, removable media component as the identified physical, removable media component.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises automatically sending the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by automatically generating shipping materials to accompany the media component.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises automatically sending the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by alerting the offsite location.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein automatically recalling the physical, removable media component comprises automatically sending a message to the offsite location requesting the physical, removable media component.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein automatically identifying the offsite physical, removable media component comprises receiving an automatically generated recall flag.

15. A system for automatically performing a restore operation at a restore location within a data storage system that is operated by a first company and comprises library, the system comprising:

a storage operation module configured to perform a data storage operation within the data storage system that results in storing data in a physical, removable media component, wherein the stored data is useable to perform a restore operation;

a transfer module configured to send the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation to an offsite location, wherein the offsite location is remote from the library of the media data storage system, and

wherein the offsite location is operated by a second company that is different than the first company that operates the data storage system;

a restore module configured to receive an automated indication to retrieve a physical, removable media component to perform the restore operation;

an identification module configured to;

automatically identify, using a processor and memory, the offsite physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

automatically identify the offsite location of the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform the restore operation;

a recall module configured to automatically recall the physical, removable media component that stores data that is useable to perform a restore operation from the offsite storage location to the restore location;

a recovery module configured to automatically recover data by performing a restore operation using the data that is stored on the physical, removable media component at the restore location; and

,

a comparison module configured to automatically compare the recalled physical, removable media component to the identified physical, removable media component;

wherein the recovery module is configured to automatically recover data only if the comparison determines that the recalled physical, removable media component is the identified physical, removable media component.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a verification module configured to verify the recalled physical, removable media component as the identified media component.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the transfer module is further configured to automatically send the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by automatically generating shipping materials to accompany the media component.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the transfer module is further configured to automatically send the recalled physical, removable media component back to the offsite location by alerting the offsite location.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the recall module automatically recalls the physical, removable media component by automatically sending a message to the offsite location requesting the physical, removable media component.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the identification module automatically identifies the offsite physical, removable media component by receiving an automatically generated recall flag.