Storage management operations based on executable files served on demand to storage management components
First Claim
1. A method for changing versions of components of a storage management system, the method comprising:
- processing, by a storage manager, one or more executable files for changing a plurality of media agents that take part in storage management operations, from a second version of a media agent to a first version of the media agent, which is different from the second version, wherein the processing comprises extracting metadata about the first version of the media agent from the one or more executable files;
storing, by the storage manager, the one or more executable files of the first version of the media agent to a first network-shared file system that is configured as unattached to a computing device which executes a second version of the media agent;
exporting, by the storage manager, the unattached first network-shared file system to the computing device;
transmitting, by the storage manager to the second version of the media agent executing on the computing device;
(A) the extracted metadata about the first version of the media agent, (B) instructions to refresh a designated file-share connection, and (C) instructions that the second version of the media agent should complete storage management operations that are underway before stopping execution;
in response to the transmission from the storage manager;
(i) saving the received metadata, by the second version of the media agent, to a storage device associated with the computing device,(ii) releasing, by the second version of the media agent, the second network-shared file system that is configured as attached thereto,(iii) attaching, by the second version of the media agent, to the first network-shared file system, and(iv) stopping execution of the second version of the media agent on the computing device after completing storage management operations that are underway;
executing, by the computing device, based at least in part on the saved metadata, the one or more executable files of the first version of the media agent, served to the computing device from the attached first network-shared file system, thereby changing the media agent from the second version to the first version; and
taking part by the first version of the media agent executing on the computing device in at least one further storage management operation managed by the storage manager.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for speedily upgrading (e.g., via service packs) components of a storage management system, such as media agents and data agents, which may number in the thousands. The disclosed methods and systems provide a lightweight and flexible approach. Executable files such as service packs are deployed to a network-shared file system and are served on demand to each targeted host computing device to launch a data agent and/or media agent component. New service packs (e.g., upgrades) are installed on another shared drive and the connection thereto is refreshed by each targeted storage management component to begin executing the new version on demand. The resultant overall upgrade process across the storage management system may be substantially shortened, and the network burden greatly reduced.
108 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for changing versions of components of a storage management system, the method comprising:
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processing, by a storage manager, one or more executable files for changing a plurality of media agents that take part in storage management operations, from a second version of a media agent to a first version of the media agent, which is different from the second version, wherein the processing comprises extracting metadata about the first version of the media agent from the one or more executable files; storing, by the storage manager, the one or more executable files of the first version of the media agent to a first network-shared file system that is configured as unattached to a computing device which executes a second version of the media agent; exporting, by the storage manager, the unattached first network-shared file system to the computing device; transmitting, by the storage manager to the second version of the media agent executing on the computing device;
(A) the extracted metadata about the first version of the media agent, (B) instructions to refresh a designated file-share connection, and (C) instructions that the second version of the media agent should complete storage management operations that are underway before stopping execution;in response to the transmission from the storage manager; (i) saving the received metadata, by the second version of the media agent, to a storage device associated with the computing device, (ii) releasing, by the second version of the media agent, the second network-shared file system that is configured as attached thereto, (iii) attaching, by the second version of the media agent, to the first network-shared file system, and (iv) stopping execution of the second version of the media agent on the computing device after completing storage management operations that are underway; executing, by the computing device, based at least in part on the saved metadata, the one or more executable files of the first version of the media agent, served to the computing device from the attached first network-shared file system, thereby changing the media agent from the second version to the first version; and taking part by the first version of the media agent executing on the computing device in at least one further storage management operation managed by the storage manager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A storage management system comprising:
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a computing device that hosts a second version of a storage management agent for participating in storage management operations in the storage management system, wherein the storage management agent is one of a data agent and a media agent; a storage device associated with the computing device; a first network-shared file system configured as detached from the computing device; a second network-shared file system configured as attached to the computing device using a connection identifier; a storage manager for managing the storage management operations in the storage management system, wherein the storage manager is in communication with the computing device, the first network-shared file system, and the second network-shared file system; wherein the storage manager is configured to upgrade the storage management agent from the second version to the first version, which is different from the second version, and wherein to perform the upgrade the storage manager is configured to; extract metadata about the first version of the storage management agent from at least one of one or more executable files of the first version of the storage management agent, store the one or more executable files of the first version of the storage management agent to the first network-shared file system, export the unattached first network-shared file system to the computing device, transmit one or more instructions to the second version of the storage management agent to; (i) save the extracted metadata to the storage device, (ii) refresh the connection using the connection identifier thereby releasing from the second network-shared file system and attaching to the first network-shared file system, and (iii) after the storage management agent completes storage management operations it is participating in, stop executing on the computing device, transmit to the computing device one or more second instructions to activate the first version of the storage management agent by executing the one or more executable files served from the first network-shared file system; and wherein the storage manager is further configured to instruct the first version of the storage management agent to resume storage management operations managed by the storage manager. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for upgrading storage management agents, including data agents and/or media agents, in a storage management system, the method comprising:
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upgrading a second version of a storage management agent that executes on a computing device in a storage management system to a first version of the storage management agent, wherein the storage management agent is one of a data agent and a media agent, wherein the upgrading comprises; storing, by a storage manager, one or more executable files of the first version of the storage management agent to a first network-shared file system, which is configured as unattached to the computing device hosting the second version of the storage management agent, and in response to the one or more first messages received by the second version of the storage management agent from the storage manager; (i) storing, by the second version of the storage management agent, to a storage device associated with the computing device, metadata relating to the one or more executable files of the first version of the storage management agent received from the storage manager, (ii) releasing, by the second version of the storage management agent, a second network-shared file system that is configured as attached to the computing device, (iii) attaching, by the second version of the storage management agent, to the first network-shared file system, and (iv) stopping execution of the second version of the storage management agent on the computing device; and executing the first version of the storage management agent on the computing device, based at least in part on (a) the metadata received from the storage manager, and (b) the one or more executable files of the first version of the storage management agent served to the computing device from the attached first network-shared file system, wherein the first version of the storage management agent participates in at least one storage management operation managed by the storage manager. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification