External storage manager for a data storage cell
First Claim
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1. A method of providing shared data storage management services to a plurality of data storage cells, comprising:
- using a storage manager executing on one or more hardware processors;
receiving a request from a first data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells to register at least a first component of the first data storage cell such that the first component can utilize storage management services provided by the storage manager, the plurality of data storage cells associated with respective organizations and implemented on respective local area networks (LAN'"'"'s), each data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells configured to communicate with the storage manager over a wide area network (WAN) and each data storage cell comprising at least;
one or more client computing devices each having at least one software application executing thereon generating production data;
one or more secondary storage controller computers comprising computer hardware configured to perform storage operations at the direction of the storage manager; and
one or more secondary storage devices configured to store copies of the production data,wherein the one or more client computing devices, the one or more secondary storage controller computers, and the one or more secondary storage devices are separate from the one or more hardware processors, wherein the production data and the copies of the production data associated with the plurality of data storage cells are not accessible by the storage manager;
adding the first component to a waiting room data structure, the waiting room data structure including a list of entries corresponding to components from the plurality of data storage cells which are pending registration with the storage manager;
subsequent to said adding, reviewing the contents of the waiting room data structure to detect that the first component is in the waiting room data structure;
in response to detecting the first component is in the waiting room data structure;
associating the first component with a first group of one or more groups of data storage cell components of the first data storage cell that are already registered by the storage manager;
assigning to the first component at least a first characteristic that is associated with the first group; and
registering the first component such that the first component can utilize the storage management services provided by the storage manager;
receiving from the first data storage cell a request for a particular storage manager operation to be performed by the storage manager on behalf of the first component; and
performing the storage manager operation on behalf of the first component and at least in part based on the first characteristic,wherein said performing comprises instructing at least one of the secondary storage controller computers of the first data storage cell to perform storage operations associated with the storage manager operation.
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Abstract
A storage management solution according to certain embodiments is provided which decouples certain aspects of the storage manager from the data storage cell. The data storage system according to certain aspects can provide one or more external storage managers that manage data protection and administer the operation of data storage cells. According to certain aspects, usage of the decoupled storage manager can be allocated amongst multiple data storage cells, such as by data storage cells of multiple companies, sub-units of a company, or both.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of providing shared data storage management services to a plurality of data storage cells, comprising:
using a storage manager executing on one or more hardware processors; receiving a request from a first data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells to register at least a first component of the first data storage cell such that the first component can utilize storage management services provided by the storage manager, the plurality of data storage cells associated with respective organizations and implemented on respective local area networks (LAN'"'"'s), each data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells configured to communicate with the storage manager over a wide area network (WAN) and each data storage cell comprising at least; one or more client computing devices each having at least one software application executing thereon generating production data; one or more secondary storage controller computers comprising computer hardware configured to perform storage operations at the direction of the storage manager; and one or more secondary storage devices configured to store copies of the production data, wherein the one or more client computing devices, the one or more secondary storage controller computers, and the one or more secondary storage devices are separate from the one or more hardware processors, wherein the production data and the copies of the production data associated with the plurality of data storage cells are not accessible by the storage manager; adding the first component to a waiting room data structure, the waiting room data structure including a list of entries corresponding to components from the plurality of data storage cells which are pending registration with the storage manager; subsequent to said adding, reviewing the contents of the waiting room data structure to detect that the first component is in the waiting room data structure; in response to detecting the first component is in the waiting room data structure; associating the first component with a first group of one or more groups of data storage cell components of the first data storage cell that are already registered by the storage manager; assigning to the first component at least a first characteristic that is associated with the first group; and registering the first component such that the first component can utilize the storage management services provided by the storage manager; receiving from the first data storage cell a request for a particular storage manager operation to be performed by the storage manager on behalf of the first component; and performing the storage manager operation on behalf of the first component and at least in part based on the first characteristic, wherein said performing comprises instructing at least one of the secondary storage controller computers of the first data storage cell to perform storage operations associated with the storage manager operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A data storage system configured to provide shared data storage management services to a plurality of data storage cells, comprising:
a storage manager executing on one or more hardware processors and configured to; receive a request from a first data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells to register at least a first component of the first data storage cell such that the first component can utilize storage management services provided by the storage manager, the plurality of data storage cells associated with respective organizations and implemented on respective local area networks (LAN'"'"'s), each data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells configured to communicate with the storage manager over a wide area network (WAN) and each data storage cell comprising at least; one or more client computing devices each having at least one software application executing thereon generating production data; one or more secondary storage controller computers comprising computer hardware configured to perform storage operations at the direction of the storage manager; and one or more secondary storage devices configured to store copies of the production data, wherein the one or more client computing devices, the one or more secondary storage controller computers, and the one or more storage devices are separate from the one or more hardware processors, wherein the production data and the copies of the production data associated with the plurality of data storage cells are not accessible by the storage manager; add the first component to a waiting room data structure, the waiting room data structure including a list of entries corresponding to components from the plurality of data storage cells which are pending registration with the storage manager; subsequent to said adding, review the contents of the waiting room data structure to detect that the first component is in the waiting room data structure; in response to detecting the first component is in the waiting room data structure; associate the first component with a first group of one or more groups of data storage cell components of the first data storage cell that are already registered by the storage manager; assign to the first component at least a first characteristic that is associated with the first group; and register the first component such that the first component can utilize the storage management services provided by the storage manager; receive from the first data storage cell a request for a particular storage manager operation to be performed by the storage manager on behalf of the first component; and perform the storage manager operation on behalf of the first component and at least in part based on the first characteristic, wherein the performing of the storage manager operation comprises instructing at least one of the secondary storage controller computers of the first data storage cell to perform storage operations associated with the storage manager operation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
Specification