MODULAR BACKUP AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STORAGE AREA NETWORK

• US 20100138393A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Oshinsky, David Alan, Crescenti, John, Prahlad, Anand, Kavuri, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A modular computer storage system and method is provided for managing and directing data archiving functions, which is scalable and comprehends various storage media as well as diverse operating systems on a plurality of client devices. A client component is associated with one or more client devices for generating archival request. A file processor directs one or more storage devices, through one or more media components, which control the actual physical level backup on various storage devices. Each media component creates a library indexing system for locating stored data. A management component coordinates the archival functions between the various client components and the file processor, including setting scheduling policies, aging policies, index pruning policies, drive cleaning policies, configuration information, and keeping track of running and waiting jobs.

Claims

1. A modular network storage system comprising:

a plurality of client components, each configured to control storage operations for at least one of a plurality of computing devices;

a storage area network (SAN) comprising a plurality of backup devices configured to provide block access to data stored thereon to the plurality of computing devices;

a file processor for directing functions associated with the archival of data over the SAN, wherein the file processor is configured to provide a file system view of data stored on the plurality of backup devices to the plurality of computing devices;

at least one media component communicatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of backup devices and the file processor, wherein the at least one media component is configured to control physical level archival functions of data between at least one of the plurality of client components and at least one of the plurality of backup devices in accordance with direction from the file processor; and

a management component communicatively coupled to the plurality of computing devices and to the file processor, the management component being configured to initiate an archival type request through at least one of the plurality of client components based on one or more storage parameters,

and wherein the file processor, in response to the archival type request, provides the direction to the at least one media component for directing the archival functions in accordance with the archival type request and wherein the at least one media component is configured to maintain an index of data stored on the plurality of backup devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one media component comprises a plurality of media components, each of the plurality of media components being communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of backup devices and to the file processor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more storage parameters comprises an aging policy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more storage parameters comprises status information regarding one or more pending storage operations.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of backup devices comprises a plurality of types of media.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of computing devices operates a plurality of types of operating systems.

7. A modular network storage system comprising:

a file processor configured to direct functions associated with storage and retrieval operations performed via a storage area network (SAN) comprising a plurality of storage devices, the file processor configured to provide a single file system view of data stored on the plurality of storage devices to a plurality of client computing devices, the file processor further comprising;

a client component configured to receive a first storage operation request of a plurality of storage operation requests and to identify, based on the first storage operation request, the particular data to be associated with one or more of the storage and retrieval operations, and

a media component configured to perform physical storage of the particular data based on directions received from the client component, the media component being further configured to maintain an index of the data stored on the plurality of storage devices; and

a management component communicatively coupled to the plurality of client computing devices and to the file processor independently of the SAN, the management component being configured to initiate each of the plurality of storage operation requests via at least one of (i) the client component and (ii) the SAN through at least one of the plurality of client computing devices, the plurality of storage operation requests being initiated by the management component based on one or more storage parameters.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein first storage operation comprises a restore operation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the media component is configured to retrieve the particular data from at least one of the storage devices and to forward the retrieved data, bypassing the SAN, to the management component.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management component is configured to route the retrieved data to one or more of the client computing devices.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the media component is configured to store data from the plurality of storage devices to a storage medium communicatively coupled to the file processor.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the management component is configured to initiate at least one of the storage operation requests via a second client component of the at least one client computing device.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more storage parameters comprises a backup schedule.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more storage parameters comprises an allocation of the plurality of storage devices.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the first storage operation request comprises an incremental backup request.