Interface systems and methods for accessing stored data

• US 8,086,809 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Prahlad, Anand, De Meno, Randy, Schwartz, Jeremy A., McGuigan, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Kevin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Namazi, Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US12/886,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 711/161, 711/162, 711/163, 707/999.203, 707/999.204
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2477 Temporal data queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A modular data and storage management system. The system includes a time variance interface that provides for storage into a storage media of data that is received over time. The time variance interface of the modular data and storage management system provides for retrieval, from the storage media, of an indication of the data corresponding to a user specified date. The retrieved indication of the data provides a user with an option to access specific information relative to the data, such as content of files that are included in the data.

Claims

1. A method for accessing electronic mail data on a user specified date, the method comprising:

storing electronic mail data from an electronic mail program on a computer system;

receiving a specified date, wherein the specified date is associated with a past state of the electronic mail program, the past state having a first set of folders associated therewith, wherein the first set of folders associated with the past state has at least one folder that is different than a second set of folders associated with a current state the electronic mail program; and

retrieving, based on the date, the electronic mail data that corresponds to the past state of the computer system, and displaying in a current version of the user interface of the electronic mail program the first set of folders in a manner that displays a view of the past state of the electronic mail program that existed at the specified date.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising indexing the electronic mail data according to the date the electronic mail data was originally received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing comprises:

storing in first storage media index information of the electronic mail data; and

storing in second storage media substantive data that corresponds to the index information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the selection of the date from a user through a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising providing through the user interface a usage history of a selected one of a plurality of electronic mail messages.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising migrating the stored electronic mail data from one subset of the storage media to another subset of the storage media according to at least one of the group consisting of:

a length of time the electronic mail data has been stored, a user that has stored the electronic mail data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface displays a history of an electronic message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a scroll bar that displays additional history of an electronic message.

9. A system for managing the retrieval of stored electronic mail data, the system comprising:

an interface implemented in one or more computer processors that provides for retrieval from storage media different versions of electronic mail data;

wherein the interface receives a user-specified date that corresponds to a past state of an electronic mail program existing prior to a current state of the electronic mail program, the past state having a first set of folders associated therewith, wherein the first set of folders associated with the past state has at least one folder that is different than a second set of folders associated with the current state the electronic mail program; and

wherein the interface, based on the user-specified data, is further configured to display in a current version of the user interface of the electronic mail program the first set of folders in a manner that displays a view of the past state of the electronic mail program that existed at the specified date.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a manager module configured to migrate data according to at least one of the group consisting of:

a length of time the electronic mail data has been stored, and a user that has stored the data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a first subset of the storage media is configured to store indexing information of the data, and wherein a second subset of the storage media is configured to store substantive data that corresponds to the indexing information.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the interface further comprises:

a graphical user interface configured to receive the user-specified date; and

a retrieval interface configured to retrieve the indication of the electronic mail data from the storage media.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface displays a usage history of a selected one of a plurality of electronic mail messages.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the additionally comprising an index of the electronic mail data according to the date the electronic mail data was originally received.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface provides a usage history of a selected one of a plurality of electronic mail messages.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising a migration module that is configured to migrate the stored electronic mail data from one subset of the storage media to another subset of the storage media according to at least one of the group consisting of:

a length of time the electronic mail data has been stored, a user that has stored the electronic mail data.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface displays a history of an electronic message.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises a scroll bar that displays additional history of an electronic message.