Conveying value of implementing an integrated data management and protection system

• US 9,760,446 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Hammer, Douglas David
• Primary Examiner(s): Chappell, Daniel C
• Application Number:
  US14/737,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

A system and method are described for conveying to a user the value it would receive by implementing an integrated system to protect and manage its data. An integrated system can combine archiving, backup, snapshot management, reporting, secure data access, eDiscovery and data analytics, among other functions, thus simplifying data protection and data management for an organization. The system generates a value dashboard, exhibiting value data, including data and graphics portraying the benefits to a user of implementing an integrated data management and protection system. Value may be evaluated with reference to simplification and efficiency, risk reduction, and unlocking data value.

Claims

1. A tangible computer-readable storage medium, excluding transitory signals, and which contains instructions for performing a method of identifying and portraying data associated with implementing an integrated data management and protection system, the method comprising:

maintaining value functions for quantifying value associated with implementing an integrated data management and protection system;

wherein the integrated data management and protection system performs archiving, backup, and at least one other data management function;

receiving user input requesting information describing value associated with implementing the integrated data management and protection system,

wherein the value associated with implementing the integrated data management and protection system relates to cost reduction, risks, and obtaining value from data;

generating an interface that displays a request for a user to submit, via the interface, information associated with data management and protection,

wherein the interface includes data entry fields for receiving information associated with data management and protection, and

wherein the information associated with data management and protection includes information related to;

complexity of an existing data management and protection system,

data protection reliability,

data recovery time, and

operational oversight for the existing data management and protection system;

receiving user-submitted information via the data entry fields of the interface;

weighting at least some of the received user-submitted information;

identifying value functions for quantifying value associated with implementing the integrated data management and protection system;

applying the value functions to the received information,

wherein the value functions result in value data for the integrated data management and protection system when applied to the received user-submitted information, and

wherein the applying includes generating a single, combined index score that aggregates the value data obtained by applying the value functions to the weighted, user-submitted information; and

,

generating a value dashboard that displays the value data for the integrated data management and protection system,

wherein the value data is indicative of value associated with implementing the integrated data management and protection system versus use of the existing data management and protection system, and

wherein the dashboard includes the combined index score.

2. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying alternative value functions for quantifying value associated with implementing an alternative data management and protection system; and

applying the identified alternative value functions to the received user-submitted information, wherein the identified alternative value functions result in alternative value data for the alternative data management and protection system when applied to the received user-submitted information, and wherein the value dashboard displays the alternative value data relative to the value data indicative of value associated with implementing the integrated data management and protection system.

3. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 1,

wherein generating a value dashboard that displays the value data includes displaying the value data with reference to three categories of value:

simplification, risk reduction, and data value.

4. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the integrated data management and protection system performs at least the following functions:

archiving, backup, snapshot management, reporting, secure data access, eDiscovery and data analytics.

5. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the value dashboard displays information describing a value story of an integrated data management and protection system.

6. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a value function of the value functions applied to the received information is associated with risk reduction, and wherein the value function results in a single score indicating relative risk associated with the integrated data management and protection system.

7. A computer-implemented method for identifying and portraying information associated with implementing an integrated data management system, the method comprising:

maintaining value functions for quantifying value associated with implementing an integrated data management system;

wherein the integrated data management system performs archiving, backup, and at least one other data management function;

generating an interface to display a request to submit, via the interface, information associated with an existing data management system,

wherein the interface includes data entry fields for receiving information associated with the existing data management system, and

wherein the information associated with the existing data management system includes information related to;

complexity of the existing data management and protection system,

data protection reliability,

data recovery time, and

operational oversight for the existing data management and protection system;

receiving information submitted via the data entry fields of the interface;

applying weights to the received information;

applying value functions to the received information,

wherein the value functions calculate values related to performance of the existing data management system based on the received information, and calculate values related to performance of the integrated data management system based on the received information,

wherein the values related to performance of the existing data management system relate to cost reduction, risks and obtaining value from data, and

wherein applying value functions includes generating an index score that represents an aggregation of the calculated values related to the existing data management system based on the received information; and

,

generating a dashboard that displays the calculated values related to performance of the integrated data management system and the existing data management system,

wherein the calculated values include a comparison between performance of the integrated data management and the existing data management system, and

wherein the dashboard is configured to display the index score and a relative risk associated with the index score.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

identifying alternative value functions for quantifying value associated with the user implementing an alternative data management system; and

applying the identified alternative value functions to the received information,

wherein the alternative value functions result in alternative value data for the alternative data management system when applied to the received information, and

wherein the value dashboard displays the alternative value data relative to the value data indicative of value associated with implementing the integrated data management system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein generating a value dashboard that displays the value data includes displaying the value data with reference to three categories of value:

simplification, risk reduction, and data value.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the integrated data management system performs at least the following functions:

archiving, backup, snapshot management, reporting, secure data access, eDiscovery and data analytics.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the value dashboard displays data describing a value story of the integrated data management system.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein a value function of the value functions applied to the received information is associated with risk reduction, and

wherein the value function results in a single score indicating relative risk associated with the integrated data management and protection system.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for performing a method of identifying and portraying to a user value associated with implementing an integrated data management and protection system, the method comprising:

receiving from a user a request for information describing value associated with a user implementing the integrated data management and protection system,

generating an interface that displays a request for the user to submit, via the interface, information associated with data management and protection for the user,

wherein the interface includes data entry fields for receiving, from the user, information associated with data management and protection for the user, and

wherein the information associated with the data management and protection for the user includes information related to—

complexity of an existing data management and protection system,

data protection reliability,

data recovery time, and

operational oversight for the existing data management and protection system;

receiving information submitted by the user via the data entry fields of the interface;

quantifying value associated with an integrated data management and protection system based at least in part on the received information,

wherein the value is quantified in relation to at least three value categories to generate quantified values,

wherein the value categories include simplification, risk reduction, and data value; and

generating a value dashboard that displays the quantified values associated with the integrated data management and protection system,

wherein the dashboard displays a single index score that represents an aggregation of the quantified values related to the received information associated with the data management and protection for the user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising:

quantifying value associated with an alternative data management and protection system based at least in part on the received information; and

wherein the value dashboard displays the alternative value data relative to the value data indicative of value associated with the user implementing the integrated data management and protection system.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the integrated data management and protection system performs at least the following functions:

archiving, backup, snapshot management, reporting, secure data access, eDiscovery and data analytics.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the value dashboard displays vignettes describing a value story of an integrated data management and protection system for the user.