System and Method for In-Place Data Migration

• US 20120054325A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asperatus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce R. Backa
• Inventors: Backa, Bruce R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for the in-place or post-facto migration of data to a cloud-based data storage service or other virtual storage environment, include a Cloud Storage Import Utility (CSIU) device having a file selection module and configured to generate a user interface. The user interface allows a storage administrator to select one or more files, file folders, or shares to be published to the cloud and optionally migrated from a current storage device to another storage service, and for providing an indication of the selection. The CSIU is configured to capture metadata for the selected files or file folders. The CSIU also provides one or more commands understandable by the cloud-based data storage service, to migrate the metadata to the cloud-based data storage service independently of the files or file folders, so that they are usable by the cloud-based storage service without being moved to the cloud-based storage service.

Claims

1. A system for in-place-migration of data to a cloud-based data storage service, the system comprising:

a Cloud Storage Import Utility (CSIU) device including a file selection module and configured to generate a user interface;

the user interface configured for allowing a user to select one or more files or file folders associated with a primary storage device to be published to a remote cloud-based storage service for use therewith, and for providing an indication of said selection;

the CSIU configured to capture metadata for the selected files or file folders;

the CSIU configured to provide one or more commands understandable by the cloud-based data storage service, to cause the metadata to be migrated to the cloud-based data storage service independently of the one or more files or file folders, wherein the files or file folders are usable by the cloud-based storage service without any need to move the files or file folders to the cloud-based storage service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the CSIU is configured to insert the metadata into a metadata database of the cloud-based storage service.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the CSIU is configured to generate an index the selected files or file folders to permit content-based searching thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the CSIU is configured to insert the index into the cloud-based storage service.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the CSIU is configured to enable the cloud-based storage service to index the files or file folders independently of any movement of the files or file folders to the cloud-based storage service.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the CSIU is configured to enable movement of the selected files or file folders from the primary storage device to another primary storage device remote from the cloud-based storage service, wherein the files or file folders at the other primary storage device are usable by the cloud-based storage service independently of any movement of the files or file folders to the cloud-based storage service.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the cloud-based storage service comprises the Microsoft Sharepoint service, and the other primary storage device includes a device accessed via Sharepoint Remote Blob Storage.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user request device being communicably couplable to the CSUI; and

said user request device configured to display the user interface to allow the user to select the one or more files or file folders associated with the primary storage device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said user interface is configured for allowing a user to select one or more files or file folders associated with a primary storage device to be published to a remote cloud-based storage service for use therewith, and for providing an indication of said selection in the form of a listing of said one or more files or file folders associated with the primary storage device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the CSUI is configured to satisfy requirements of network security.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising the primary storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the primary storage device comprises a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the primary storage device comprises a Storage Area Network (SAN) device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the primary storage device comprises a direct attached storage (DAS) device.

15. A method for enabling in-place-migration of data to a cloud-based data storage service, the method comprising:

(a) configuring a Cloud Storage Import Utility (CSIU) device to include a file selection module and to generate a user interface;

(b) configuring the user interface to allow a user to select one or more files or file folders associated with a primary storage device to be published to a remote cloud-based storage service for use therewith, and for providing an indication of said selection;

(c) configuring the CSIU to capture metadata for the selected files or file folders; and

(d) configuring the CSIU to provide one or more commands understandable by the cloud-based data storage service, to cause the metadata to be migrated to the cloud-based data storage service independently of the one or more files or file folders, wherein the files or file folders are usable by the cloud-based storage service without first being moved to the cloud-based storage service.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising configuring the CSIU for being couplable to the primary storage device and the cloud-based storage service.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the indication to include a listing of the one or more files or file folders to be archived.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the CSIU to satisfy requirements of network security.

19. A method for in-place-migration of data to a cloud-based data storage service, the method comprising:

(a) communicably coupling a user request device to a primary storage device and to a Cloud Storage Import Utility (CSIU), the CSIU including a file selection module and being configured to generate a user interface;

(b) selecting, with the user interface, one or more files or file folders associated with a primary storage device to be published to the cloud-based storage service for use therewith, and for providing an indication of said selection;

(c) capturing, with the CSIU, metadata for the selected files or file folders; and

(d) providing, with the CSIU, one or more commands understandable by the cloud-based data storage service, to cause the metadata to be migrated to the cloud-based data storage service independently of the one or more files or file folders, wherein the files or file folders are usable by the cloud-based storage service without first being moved to the cloud-based storage service.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising communicably coupling the CSIU to the primary storage device including at least one of a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, a Storage Area Network (SAN) device, and a direct attached storage (DAS) device.