Data mining systems and methods for heterogeneous data sources

• US 8,615,493 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• 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:
  US13/615,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 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 administering a storage network comprising heterogeneous client devices, the method comprising:

displaying with a management console information regarding backup data stored in one or more first storage devices, the backup data associated with a plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices, wherein the backup data of at least first and second client computing devices of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices is stored in different backup formats, and wherein the management console integrates a plurality of utilities for performing a plurality of data management operations on the backup data of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices, wherein the management console further provides a single interface for the plurality of utilities, the single interface including on-screen graphics representing the plurality of heterogeneous client devices;

receiving a set of criteria for determining a select set of data to copy to one or more second storage devices, the set of criteria entered by a user via interaction with the single interface;

selecting a first data management operation of the plurality of data management operations;

with a first data connector executing on one or more computer processors and that is communication with the management console, obtaining first backup data from backup data of the first client computing device of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices, the first data connector corresponding to a backup format associated with the first data; and

with a second data connector executing on one or more computer processors and that is communication with the management console, obtaining second backup data from backup data of the second client computing device of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices, the second data connector corresponding to a backup format associated with the second data;

performing the first data management operation on a first subset of the first backup data that meets the set of criteria and a second subset of the second backup data that meets the set of criteria, said performing comprising;

storing the first subset in the one or more second storage devices; and

storing the second subset in the one or more second storage devices,

wherein the versions of the first and second subsets stored on the one or more second storage devices are designated for longer term retention than the versions of the first and second subsets stored in the one or more first storage devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of each of the heterogeneous client devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation reflects the physical configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical representation reflects the logical configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a data structure storing metadata obtained from each of the heterogeneous client devices.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising obtaining the metadata from each of the heterogeneous client devices by accessing logs of each of the heterogeneous client devices.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the data structure comprises at least one Extensible Markup Language (XML) file.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of heterogeneous client devices further stores non-backup data and wherein said displaying additionally comprises displaying in the single interface information regarding the non-backup data.

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

a plurality of data connectors in communication with a plurality of heterogeneous client devices, each of the plurality of data connectors being configured to obtain data from a respective one of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices; and

a management console executing on a computing device in network communication with the plurality of data connectors, the management console being configured to;

display via a unified interface on-screen graphics information regarding backup data stored in one or more first storage devices, the backup data associated with the plurality of heterogeneous client devices, wherein the backup data of at least first and second client computing devices of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices are stored in different backup formats, and wherein the management console integrates a plurality of utilities for performing a plurality of data management operations on the backup data of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices, wherein the management console further provides a single interface for the plurality of utilities;

receive a set of criteria for determining a select set of data to copy to one or more second storage devices, the set of criteria entered by a user via interaction with the single interface;

receive a selection of a first data management operation of the plurality of data management operations to be performed by at least one of the plurality of utilities;

access a first subset of first backup data, the first subset meeting the set of criteria, the first backup data associated with the first client computing device of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices and obtained by a data connector corresponding to a backup format associated with the first data;

access a second subset of second backup data, the second subset meeting the set of criteria, the second backup data associated with the second client computing device of the plurality of heterogeneous client computing devices and obtained by a data connector corresponding to a backup format associated with the second data; and

perform the first data management operation on the first and second subsets of data at least partly by;

storing the first subset in one or more second storage devices; and

storing the second subset in the one or more second storage devices,

wherein the versions of the first and second subsets stored on the one or more second storage devices are designated for longer term retention than the versions of the first and second subsets stored in the one or more first storage devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the on-screen graphics comprise icons representing data formats of the data on the plurality of heterogeneous client devices.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the on-screen graphics are arranged to reflect the physical configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the on-screen graphics are arranged to reflect the logical configuration of the plurality of heterogeneous client devices.