Information management of mobile device data

• US 9,529,871 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Vibhor, Anand, Sarmalkar, Kedar Sunil, Karandikar, Amey Vijaykumar
• Primary Examiner(s): GORTAYO, DANGELINO N
• Application Number:
  US13/787,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/613, 707/618, 707/621, 707/694, 707/802
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A method and system for providing information management of mobile device data provides a user interface to permit a user of an information management system to define information management policies for the mobile device, receives definitions of the information management policies from the provided interface, and sends data from the mobile device to the information management system in accordance with the information management policies. In some examples, the system sends information identifying the user and the mobile device to the information management system, and/or sends the information management policies defined from the interface to the information management system.

Claims

1. A method for providing information management of mobile device data, comprising:

providing a user interface on a mobile device that is associated with a user,

wherein the mobile device is a cellular telephone, a smart phone, or a tablet computing device;

associating the mobile device with an information management system of an organization based on selections received via the user interface,

wherein the information management system includes a server having a primary storage,

wherein the server executes one or more information management policies to generate and store non-production copies of information stored by other servers that are associated with the information management system, and

wherein the server stores the non-production copies in backup storage devices that are communicatively coupled via a network to the server;

receiving user selectable options, via the user interface of the mobile device, for at least partially implementing a user-defined information management policy to be associated with the mobile device;

wherein the received user selectable options include options for;

defining or selecting first and second differing file types to transmit to the information management system; and

defining first and second frequencies, for the respective first and second file types, at which to transmit to the information management system data having the first and second file types; and

wherein the user selectable options include the following options;

a first option for synchronizing and distributing the first file type with a first backup storage device;

a second option for synchronizing and distributing the second file type with a second backup storage device,

wherein the first and second backup storage devices are different storage devices;

a third option for synchronizing and distributing a third file type with the first backup storage device; and

a fourth option for synchronizing and distributing a fourth file type with the second backup storage device;

transmitting to the server the information for implementing the user-defined information management policy for the mobile device to associate the user-defined information management policy for the mobile device;

receiving instructions to override the user selected options in the user-defined information management policy that conflict with an information management policy of the organization, wherein the information management policy of the organization is a system-wide policy set by an administrator,

wherein the instructions include instructions for modifying the user-defined information management policy implemented on the mobile device to a default information management policy in accordance with the information management policy of the organization; and

transmitting data and metadata from the mobile device to the information management system in accordance with the information management policy for the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating includes:

identifying the information management system based on the selections received via the user interface;

receiving a user name and a password via the user interface for access to the information management system; and

establishing a trusted connection between the mobile device and the information management system based on the user name and the password.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information for determining an information management policy includes:

defining which of multiple backup storage devices and other servers of the information management system are allowed to receive the data and metadata.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information for determining an information management policy includes determining multiple information management policies for the mobile device,

wherein each information management policy is associated with a particular application or data file type,

wherein each information management policy independently defines a frequency for transmitting its associated data and metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information for determining an information management policy includes:

defining a type of mobile device network connectivity that the mobile device is permitted to use in order to perform the transmitting of the data and the metadata; and

defining operating conditions of the mobile device that must be satisfied before the mobile device is permitted to perform the transmitting of the data and the metadata,

wherein the operating conditions include an amount of battery life remaining for the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device, data objects from the information management system that are distributed to multiple servers associated with the information management system; and

receiving an administrator information management policy for the mobile device from the information management system,

wherein the administrator information management policy determines which of the data objects, from the information management system, the mobile device is permitted to open while the mobile device is not connected to a private network associated with the information management system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is an employee of an organization, and wherein the information management system is a private system for managing data of the organization.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

installing, by the mobile device, a mobile application that includes a distribution client; and

executing the distribution client at the mobile device to perform the providing the user interface, the associating the mobile device, the receiving information for determining an information management policy the information policy, the transmitting the information management policy, and the transmitting data and metadata.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of information includes a digital photo.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second type of information includes a spreadsheet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein third type of information includes an email.

12. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying instructions for providing information management of mobile device data, comprising:

providing, via a mobile device, a user interface to permit a user of an information management system to define multiple information management policies for the mobile device,

wherein the mobile device includes wireless communication capabilities, and,

wherein the user is one of multiple users associated with an organization; and

,

wherein the user defined information management policies instruct the mobile device to send data only from selected directories on the mobile device to the information management system;

receiving user selectable options, via the user interface of the mobile device, for implementing the information management policies for the mobile device,

wherein the selectable options include the following options;

a first option for synchronizing and distributing a first type of information via a first backup storage device,

a second option for synchronizing and distributing a second type of information via a second backup storage device,

wherein the first and second backup storage devices are different storage devices,

a third option for synchronizing and distributing a third type of personal information via the first backup storage device, and

a fourth option for synchronizing and distributing a fourth type of information via the second backup storage device;

sending information identifying the user and the mobile device to the information management system;

sending the user selectable options for implementing the information management to the information management system; and

receiving instructions to override at least one of the user selected options that conflict with an information management policy of the organization,

wherein the received instructions include instructions for modifying the information management policies implemented on the mobile device to a default information management policy in accordance with the information management policy of the organization, wherein the information management policy of the organization is a system-wide policy set by an administrator.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the user interface is provided by a mobile application installed on the mobile device.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the defined policies mandate sending specified types of data from the mobile device to the information management system.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the other applicable information management policies include a data distribution policy for distributing the data from the mobile device to other servers associated with the information management system.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the defined information management policies specify that data is sent from the mobile device to the information management system over a particular type of network connection,

wherein particular types of network connections include WiFi connections, cellular connections, Bluetooth connections, and universal serial bus connections.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein:

the first type of information includes a digital photo;

the second type of information includes a spreadsheet;

the third type of information includes an email; and

the fourth type of information includes a video.

18. A system for managing mobile device data, comprising:

at least one processor;

means for associating a mobile device with a user of an information management system provided by an organization;

means for implementing information management policies of the information management system with user selectable options;

wherein the user selectable options include the following options;

a first option for synchronizing and distributing a first type information across a first backup storage device,

a second option for synchronizing and distributing a second type information across a second backup storage device,

wherein the first and second backup storage devices are different storage devices,

a third option for synchronizing and distributing a third type of information on the first backup storage device, and

a fourth option for synchronizing and distributing a fourth type of information on the second backup storage device;

means for receiving instructions to override the user selected options that conflict with an information management policy of the organization,

wherein the instructions include instructions for modifying the information management policies implemented on the mobile device to a default information management policy in accordance with the information management policy of the organization, wherein the information management policy of the organization is a system-wide policy set by an administrator,

means for providing data from the mobile device to the information management system to enable the information management system to perform information management operations upon the data from the mobile device within the information management system in accordance with the information management policies;

means for receiving, by the mobile device, data objects from the information management system that are distributed to multiple servers associated with the information management system; and

means for receiving an administrator information management policy for the mobile device from the information management system,

wherein the administrator information management policy determines which of the data objects, from the information management system, the mobile device is permitted to open while the mobile device is not connected to a private network associated with the information management system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for defining which backup storage devices and other servers associated with the information management system are allowed to receive the data from the mobile device.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for generating previews of a portion of content of the data from the mobile device; and

means for providing the previews to the information management system along with the respective data from which the previews are generated.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for installing, by the mobile device, a mobile application that includes a distribution client for selectively distributing data from the mobile application to other servers associated with the information management system.