Configuring a data protection system

• US 8,463,747 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wahlert, Brian M., Jazayeri, Mike, van Ingen, Catharine, Berkowitz, Brian T., Chandhok, Nikhil Vijay, Rangegowda, Dharshan, Badami, Vinay, Lashkari, Yezdi Z., Fries, Robert M., Harikrishnan, Seetharaman
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US13/314,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/767, 707/640
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A computer-implemented system configured to describe the relationship between a first Namespace and a second Namespace is provided. The system includes a containment relationship identifying a direct relationship between a first object of the first Namespace and a second object of the first Namespace. Moreover, the system includes a junction relationship linking the second object of the first Namespace to a first object of the second Namespace. In one embodiment, the system is configured to facilitate the recovery of information based on the descriptions of the Namespaces that is maintained.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable storage devices for implementing a computer implemented method for configuring a protected group, the one or more computer readable storage devices having computer program code stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the processors to perform the method for configuring a protected group, the method comprising:

obtaining a selection of a Namespace Element;

obtaining protection intents for the selected Namespace Element;

mapping the selected Namespace Element to a protected object;

generating a protected group for the Namespace Element mapped to the protected object;

adding the mapped protected object to the protected group;

creating a schema of the mapping of the Namespace Element to the protected object; and

generating a group plan for protecting the protected group using the protection intents for the selected Namespace Element.

2. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein the Namespace Element is representative of a plurality of protectable objects.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein a first protectable objects of the plurality of protectable objects is located on a first server and a second protectable object of the plurality of the plurality of protectable objects is located on a second server.

4. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protectable objects is a data source.

5. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 4, wherein the data source is a most granular level at which a protection intent is applied.

6. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 2, wherein at least one of the protectable objects contains a plurality of recoverable objects.

7. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein generating a group plan includes determining protection parameters representative of the obtained protection intents;

and

wherein the group plan is included in the protected group.

8. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 7, wherein the selected Namespace Element is representative of a plurality of protectable objects;

and

wherein the protection parameters are applied to the plurality of protectable objects.

9. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 8, wherein the plurality of protectable objects a located on different servers.

10. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein the protection intents include a frequency of protection.

11. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein the protection intents include a kind of protection.

12. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, wherein the protection intents include a duration of protection.

13. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of temporal versions of the protected object that contain a recoverable object and that includes information to be recovered as part of the plan for protecting the protected group; and

selecting a recoverable object from the plurality of temporal versions.

14. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, further comprising synthesizing the plurality of temporal versions to represent a point-in-time of recovery;

and

receiving a selection of a point-in-time for recovery.

15. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the temporal versions of a protected object are versions of the recoverable object from different points in time.

16. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the selected recoverable object is a protected object.

17. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the selected recoverable object is a portion of a protected object.

18. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, further comprising receiving recovery intents identifying how the recoverable object is to be recovered.

19. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the recovery intents include an overwrite attempt.

20. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the recovery intents include a security specification for the recoverable object.