Systems and methods for normalizing data of heterogeneous data sources

• US 8,352,432 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• 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:
  US12/749,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 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 managing data in a computer system, the method comprising:

performing, by a first data connector, a discovery of data associated with a first client computing device to obtain first data in a first backup file format from first media, the first backup file format associated with a first data backup application executing on the first client computing device, the first data being associated with a first payload and first metadata;

receiving the first payload and the first metadata from the first data connector by a management console executing on one or more computer processors;

processing, by the management console, the first payload to generate second metadata different than said first metadata;

storing in a data structure the second metadata and at least a portion of the first metadata in a first entry associated with the first media;

performing, by a second data connector, a discovery of data associated with a second client computing device to obtain second data in a second backup file format from second media, the second backup file format different than the first backup file format and associated with a second data backup application different than the first data backup application, the second data backup application executing on the second client computing device, the second data being associated with a second payload and third metadata;

receiving the second payload and the third metadata from the second data connector by the management console;

processing, by the management console, the second payload to generate fourth metadata different than said third metadata;

storing in the data structure the fourth metadata and at least a portion of the third metadata in a second entry associated with the second media; and

presenting the first and second entries in a unified view of a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second metadata and the fourth metadata concern the same data characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metadata and the third metadata concern different data characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second media comprises tape media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second media comprises a database.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising storing a portion of the first payload and a portion of the second payload in a single file.

7. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising storing a portion of the first payload and a portion of the second payload in a common data format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure comprises an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving a data operation request with respect to the first data of the first media; and

performing the data operation directly on the first data of the first media.

10. A system for managing data from a plurality of heterogeneous client devices, the system comprising:

a first data connector configured to perform a discovery of data associated with a first client device to obtain first data in a first backup file format from the first client device, the first backup file format associated with a first data backup application executing on the first client device, the first data having a first payload and first metadata associated with the first payload;

a second data connector configured to perform a discovery of data associated with a second client device to obtain second data in a second backup file format from the second client device, the second backup file format associated with a second data backup application different than the first data backup application, the second data backup application executing on the second client device, the second data having a second payload and second metadata associated with the second payload;

a management module executing on a computing device in communication with the first and second data connectors to receive the first and second payloads and first and second metadata, the management module configured to process the first payload to generate third metadata different than said first metadata and to process the second payload to generate fourth metadata different than said second metadata; and

a data structure configured to store the third metadata and at least a portion of the first metadata in a first entry associated with the first client device and to store the fourth metadata and at least a portion of the second metadata in a second entry associated with the second client device.

11. The system of claim 10, additionally comprising a user interface in communication with the management module to present the first and second entries in a unified view.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data structure comprises at least one Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first data connector is further configured to obtain third data in the first backup file format from a third client device.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a third data connector configured to obtain third data in a third file format from at least one of the first and second client devices.

15. A system for managing data from a plurality of heterogeneous client devices, the system comprising:

first means for performing a discovery of data associated with a first client computing device to obtain first data in a first backup file format from the first client computing device, the first backup file format associated with a first data backup application executing on the first client computing device, the first data having a first payload and first metadata associated with the first payload, the first means comprising a first data connector;

second means for performing a discovery of data associated with a second client computing device to obtain second data in a second backup file format from the second client computing device, the second backup file format different than the first backup file format and associated with a second data backup application different than the first data backup application, the second data backup application executing on the second client computing device, the second data having a second payload and second metadata associated with the second payload, the second means comprising a second data connector;

means for receiving the first and second payloads and first and second metadata and for processing the first payload to generate third metadata different than said first metadata and to process the second payload to generate fourth metadata different than said second metadata; and

means for storing the third metadata and at least a portion of the first metadata in a first entry associated with the first client computing device and to store the fourth metadata and at least a portion of the second metadata in a second entry associated with the second client computing device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for displaying via a unified interface on-screen graphics indicative of the first and second client computing devices.