User-level quota management of data objects stored in information management systems

• US 9,823,978 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Mutha, Manas Bhikchand, Bedadala, Pavan Kumar Reddy, Ahn, Jun H., Mazur, Pavlo, Sanghvi, Jatin Kirtikumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dewan, Kamal
• Application Number:
  US14/266,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 707692, 707822, 707825, 707828, 707829, 707E17032, 711154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1446 Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data
• 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 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• 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 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for cross-system user-level management of data objects stored in one or more information management systems, and for user-level management of data storage quotas in information management systems, including data objects in secondary storage. An illustrative quota manager is associated with one or more information management systems. The quota manager comprises a quota value representing the maximum amount of data storage allowed for a given end-user'"'"'s primary and secondary data in the one or more information management systems. The quota manager determines whether data associated with the end-user has exceeded the storage quota, and if so, prompts the end-user to select data for deletion, the deletion to be implemented globally, across the primary and secondary storage subsystems of the respective one or more information management systems. Meanwhile, so long as the quota is exceeded, the quota manager instructs storage managers to block backups of end-user'"'"'s data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a quota manager in communication with a storage manager that manages an information management system, including backup operations therein;

wherein the quota manager is configured to;

determine, based on information received from the storage manager, a total amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with an end-user in the information management system,

wherein the data associated with the end-user comprises at least one of;

an instance of an object of primary data stored in primary storage and an instance of a secondary copy object stored in secondary storage, and

identify, based on a selection of data received from the end-user, one or more instances of one or more data objects,

wherein the one or more identified instances comprise at least one instance of a secondary copy object that is associated with the end-user and is stored in secondary storage of the information management system,

instruct the storage manager to implement one or more deletion operations of the one or more identified instances, so long as each respective identified instance is not under legal hold,

following the one or more deletion operations, adjust the total amount of storage that is occupied by the data associated with the end-user in the information management system, and

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds a quota value for the end-user, instruct the storage manager to block future backup operations for data associated with the end-user, which future backup operations are scheduled, based on one or more storage policies in the storage manager, to generate secondary copy objects associated with the end-user,

wherein instructing the storage manager to block the future backup operations overrides the one or more storage policies,

and does not prevent the end-user from creating more objects of primary data in the information management system; and

(A) wherein when a respective identified instance of a secondary copy object is under legal hold, the respective identified instance is not deleted but its associated storage amount is reduced from the total amount of storage associated with the end-user, and

(B) wherein when a respective identified instance of an object of primary data is under legal hold, (i) a secondary copy thereof is created, stored to secondary storage, and not deleted, (ii) the object of primary data is deleted and its associated storage amount is reduced from the total amount of storage associated with the end-user, and (iii) a storage amount associated with the created secondary copy also is not counted in the total amount of storage associated with the end-user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the adjusted total amount of storage no longer exceeds the quota value for the end-user, instruct the storage manager to reinstate the overridden storage policies for subsequent backup operations in regard to data associated with the end-user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the quota manager comprises the quota value for the end-user of the information management system,

the quota value defining an amount of data storage comprising primary storage and secondary storage in the information management system that is allowed to be occupied by data associated with the end-user.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the quota manager comprises the quota value for the end-user of the information management system,

the quota value defining an amount of data storage, comprising primary storage and secondary storage in the information management system, that is allowed to be occupied by data associated with the end-user, and

wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, prompt the end-user to select data to be deleted.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the quota manager comprises the quota value for the end-user of the information management system,

the quota value defining an amount of data storage, comprising primary storage and secondary storage in the information management system, that is allowed to be occupied by data associated with the end-user, and

wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, prompt the end-user to provide the selection of data for deletion,

wherein the prompt comprises representations of unique data objects associated with the end-user across the information management system, and

wherein a representation of a unique data object corresponds to at least one instance of a secondary copy object.

6. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a quota manager; and

a first storage manager in communication with the quota manager, wherein the first storage manager manages a first information management system comprising data that is associated with an end-user;

wherein the quota manager is configured to;

store a quota value for the end-user, the quota value defining an amount of data storage that is allowed to be occupied by data associated with the end-user,

determine, based on information received from the first storage manager, a total amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with the end-user,

wherein the data associated with the end-user comprises at least one of;

an instance of an object of primary data stored in primary storage and an instance of a secondary copy object stored in secondary storage,

determine whether the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, except that storage occupied by objects under legal hold is not counted in the total amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with the end-user, and

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, instruct the first storage manager to block at least one future backup operation for data associated with the end-user, which at least one future backup operation is scheduled, based on a storage policy in the storage manager, to generate secondary copy objects associated with the end-user,

wherein instructing the first storage manager to block the at least one future backup operation overrides the storage policy relative to the end-user,

and does not prevent the end-user from creating more objects of primary data in the first information management system; and

except that when an object of primary data associated with the end-user is under legal hold (i) a first secondary copy thereof is created using a backup operation, stored to secondary storage, placed under legal hold, and not deleted from the first information management system, and (ii) a storage amount associated with the first secondary copy under legal hold is not counted in the total amount of storage associated with the end-user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

present to the end-user a unique entry of any given data object associated with the end-user that is stored in the first information management system, regardless of how many instances thereof are stored throughout the first information management system,

identify, based on a end-user selection, one or more instances of one or more data objects represented by the end-user selection,

wherein the one or more identified instances comprise at least one instance of a secondary copy object stored in secondary storage of the first information management system,

if a given instance of an identified data object is not under legal hold, as reported to the quota manager by the first storage manager, instruct the first storage manager to implement one or more deletion operations of the one or more identified instances and adjust the total amount of storage for the end-user accordingly, and

if a given instance of an identified data object is under legal hold, as reported to the quota manager by the first storage manager, adjust the total amount of storage for the end-user as though the given instance were deleted according to the end-user'"'"'s selection and remove the identified data object from future presentations to the end-user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the total amount of storage no longer exceeds the quota value for the end-user, instruct the first storage manager to unblock future backup operations for the data associated with the end-user, thereby reinstating the storage policy relative to the end-user.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a second storage manager in communication with the quota manager, wherein the second storage manager manages a second information management system comprising data associated with the end-user, and

wherein the total amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with the end-user comprises an aggregate of a first amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with the end-user in the first information management system and a second amount of storage that is occupied by data associated with the end-user in the second information management system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

present to the end-user a unique entry of any given data object associated with the end-user that is stored in the first information management system and in the second information management system, regardless of how many instances thereof are stored throughout the first information management system and the second information management system;

identify, based on a end-user selection, one or more instances of one or more data objects represented by the selection,

wherein the one or more identified instances comprise at least one instance of a secondary copy object stored in secondary storage of at least one of the first information management system and the second information management system, and

instruct the first storage manager to implement one or more deletion operations of the one or more identified instances that are stored in the first information management system, and

instruct the second storage manager to implement one or more deletion operations of the one or more identified instances that are stored in the second information management system.

11. A system for managing data storage quotas, the system comprising:

a quota manager in communication with one or more of a plurality of storage managers, each storage manager configured to manage a respective information management system among a plurality of information management systems,

wherein the quota manager comprises a quota value for an end-user of the plurality of information management systems, the quota value defining an amount of data storage that is associated with the end-user across the plurality of information management systems, and

wherein the quota manager is configured to;

determine, based on information received from the plurality of storage managers, a total amount of storage, across the plurality of information management systems, that is occupied by data associated with the end-user, except that storage occupied by data associated with the end-user that is under legal hold is not counted in the total amount of storage for the end-user,

wherein the data associated with the end-user comprises at least one of;

an instance of an object of primary data and an instance of a secondary copy object,

determine whether the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user,

identify, based on a selection of data received from the end-user, one or more instances of one or more data objects, wherein the one or more identified instances comprise at least one instance of a secondary copy object stored in secondary storage of one of the information management systems,

instruct at least one of the plurality of storage managers to implement one or more deletion operations for the identified instances, and

further instruct the plurality of storage managers that until the one or more deletion operations are completed, to block future backup operations for data associated with the end-user,

which future backup operations are scheduled, based on storage policies in the respective information management system, to generate secondary copy objects based on data associated with the end-user, and

wherein the storage policies relative to the end-user are overridden by the instructions to block future backup operations; and

(A) wherein when an identified instance of a secondary copy object is under legal hold, future backups therefor are not blocked, and

(B) wherein when an identified instance of an object of primary data is under legal hold (i) a first secondary copy thereof is created using a backup operation, stored to secondary storage, placed under legal hold, and not deleted from the first information management system, and (ii) future backups therefor are not blocked.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

following the one or more deletion operations, based on a determination that the total amount of storage no longer exceeds the quota value for the end-user, instruct the plurality of storage managers to unblock future backup operations for data associated with the end-user, thereby reinstating the overridden storage policies relative to the end-user.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, prompt the end-user to provide the selection of data for deletion, wherein data under legal hold is not prompted to the end-user for deletion.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the quota manager is further configured to:

based on a determination that the total amount of storage exceeds the quota value for the end-user, prompt the end-user to provide the selection of data for deletion,

wherein the prompt comprises representations of unique data objects associated with the end-user across the plurality of information management system, and

wherein a representation of a unique data object corresponds to at least one instance of a secondary copy object.