Method and system for searching stored data

• US 8,615,523 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Prahlad, Anand, Kavuri, Srinivas, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Amarendran, Arun Prasad, Brockway, Brian, Muller, Marcus S., May, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US13/538,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20120271832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/100, 707/200, 707/758, 709/204
• US Class Current: 707/758
• 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 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A complete document management system is disclosed. Accordingly, systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are disclosed. Systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are further disclosed. Additionally, systems and methods for accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for managing data associated with one or more data storage devices, wherein the data storage devices are coupled to multiple computers over a network, the method comprising:

performing a first storage operation on a first data object, wherein performing the first storage operation results in—

creating a second data object, wherein the second data object is a secondary copy of the first data object, and

indexing content of the second data object;

performing a second storage operation on the second data object, wherein the performance of the second storage operation results in—

creating a third data object, wherein the third data object is a modified secondary copy of the first data object, and

indexing content of the third data object;

wherein the third data object is moved to an offline storage location,

wherein the offline storage location is not immediately accessible to the computers over the network;

maintaining an index of data associated with the data storage devices, wherein

the data associated with the data storage devices includes—

secondary copies of data objects, and

offline copies of data objects,

in response to receiving a user'"'"'s query, searching the index to identify the third data object that is stored in the offline storage location and that matches search criteria provided by the user; and

,

providing information to the user regarding the identified third data object that is stored in the offline storage location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input through a graphical user interface identifying a type of data to be used for searching.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the index comprises multiple content indices, and wherein each of the content indices is associated with a logical volume that represents one or more physical volumes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing multiple security policies relating to multiple users, wherein the policies further define data access rights for those users that specify the data that can be accessed by each user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving search criteria from a user and an indication that the search criteria produce the type of results that a user wants to find on a regular basis, and storing the search criteria as a data management policy that the user can apply to future storage operations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary copies comprise copies of secondary copies on which additional data storage operations have been performed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more of the secondary copies differ in type of document and time of creation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third data object is a modified secondary copy of the first data object that has been modified by compression or encryption.

9. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one data processing device, causes the at least one data processing device to perform a method of managing data associated with one or more data storage devices, wherein the data storage devices are coupled to multiple computers over a network, the method comprising:

performing a first storage operation on a first data object, wherein performing the first storage operation results in—

creating a second data object, wherein the second data object is a secondary copy of the first data object, and

indexing content of the second data object;

performing a second storage operation on the second data object, wherein the performance of the second storage operation results in—

creating a third data object, wherein the third data object is a modified secondary copy of the first data object, and

indexing content of the third data object;

wherein the third data object is moved to an offline storage location,

wherein the offline storage location is not immediately accessible to the computers over the network;

maintaining an index of data associated with the data storage devices, wherein the data associated with the data storage devices includes—

secondary copies of data objects, and

offline copies of data objects,

in response to receiving a user'"'"'s query, searching the index to identify the third data object that is stored in the offline storage location and that matches search criteria provided by the user; and

,

providing information to the user regarding the identified third data object that is stored in the offline storage location.

10. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising receiving user input through a graphical user interface identifying a type of data to be used for searching.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the index comprises multiple content indices, and wherein each of the content indices is associated with a logical volume that represents one or more physical volumes.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising storing multiple security policies relating to multiple users, wherein the policies further define data access rights for those users that specify the data that can be accessed by each user.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising receiving search criteria from a user and an indication that the search criteria produce the type of results that a user wants to find on a regular basis, and storing the search criteria as a data management policy that the user can apply to future storage operations.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the secondary copies comprise copies of secondary copies on which additional data storage operations have been performed.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein two or more of the secondary copies differ in type of document and time of creation.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the third data object is a modified secondary copy of the first data object that has been modified by compression or encryption.

17. A system for managing data associated with one or more data storage devices, wherein the data storage devices are coupled to multiple computers over a network, the system comprising:

at least one processor and memory;

means for performing a first storage operation on a first data object, wherein the means for performing the first storage operation includes—

means for creating a second data object, wherein the second data object is a secondary copy of the first data object, and

means for indexing content of the second data object;

means for performing a second storage operation on the second data object, wherein the means for performing of the second storage operation results in—

means for creating a third data object, wherein the third data object is a modified secondary copy of the first data object, and

means for indexing content of the third data object;

wherein the third data object is moved to an offline storage location,

wherein the offline storage location is not immediately accessible to the computers over the network;

means for maintaining an index of data associated with the data storage devices, wherein the data associated with the data storage devices includes—

secondary copies of data objects, and

offline copies of data objects,

means for in response to receiving a user'"'"'s query, searching the index to identify the third data object that is stored in the offline storage location and that matches search criteria provided by the user; and

,

means for providing information to the user regarding the identified third data object that is stored in the offline storage location.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving user input through a graphical user interface identifying a type of data to be used for searching.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the index comprises multiple content indices, and wherein each of the content indices is associated with a logical volume that represents one or more physical volumes.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for storing multiple security policies relating to multiple users, wherein the policies further define data access rights for those users that specify the data that can be accessed by each user.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving search criteria from a user and an indication that the search criteria produce the type of results that a user wants to find on a regular basis, and means for storing the search criteria as a data management policy that the user can apply to future storage operations.