Data storage system for analysis of data across heterogeneous information management systems

• US 9,633,025 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gokhale, Parag, Singh, Parminder
• Primary Examiner(s): Gofman, Alex
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mian, Umar
• Application Number:
  US14/918,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20160041997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 707770, 709223, 709224, 711162
• 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 16/156 Query results presentation
• 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 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating customized reports from data storage databases and other information management system databases. The methods include normalizing queried information from different types of information management system databases to enable system-wide report generation. Other implementations are disclosed.

Claims

1. An information management system configured to create graphical reports associated with a status of the information management system, the system comprising:

a first information management cell having a first storage manager coupled, via a first network, to a first plurality of computing devices,

wherein the first storage manager includes a first storage manager database to store a first data storage policy associated with the first plurality of computing devices,

wherein the first data storage policy includes rules that determine a frequency by which the first storage manager causes data that is stored by the first plurality of computing devices to be backed up by a secondary storage device,

wherein the first storage manager database is a first type of database; and

a second information management cell connected to the first information management cell and having a second storage manager coupled, via a second, network to a second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the second storage manager includes a second storage manager database to store a second data storage policy associated with the second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the second storage manager database is a second type of database that is different from the first type of database,

wherein the second storage manager includes a memory storing instructions,

wherein the second storage manager includes a processor coupled to the memory,

wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the second storage manager to;

receive an input from a user to query the first storage manager database and the second storage manager database,

identify the first storage manager database as the first type of database and the second storage manager database as the second type of database,

query the first storage manager database using a first set of query commands,

identify a data format of the information received in response to the first set of query commands as a first data format,

query the second storage manager database using a second set of query commands,

identify a data format of the information received in response to the second set of query commands as a second data format,

 

wherein the first set of query commands are different from the second set of query commands and the first set of query commands are based on identifying the first storage manager database as the first type of database,

normalize information received in response to the query of the first storage manager database to be compatible with the second data format,

merge and sort the normalized results and information received in response of the query of the second storage manager into an interim database associated with a report generation agent that generates the displayed reports,

 

wherein the merged results represent database content for heterogeneous information management cells,

display a graphical report of the information in the interim database, based on the input received from the user;

populate a user interface with a list of content identifiers for views, tables, or columns of the first storage manager database and of the second storage manager database,

wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive the input from the user includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive user selections of some of the list of content identifiers with the user interface,

wherein the user interface includes with table names and column or row names from the common database format, and

wherein the interface is configured to permit the user to select sets of information displayed via the user interface, and to query the first and second storage manager databases without requiring the user to be able to program in a database language.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first type of database is one of:

a document-oriented database, a distributed database, and an object-relational database,

wherein the instructions further cause the second storage manager to receive a non-table object in response to using first set of query commands on the first type of database,

wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to normalize the received information includes converting the non-table object received from the first storage manager database into a database table.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive the input includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive a network address of the first storage manager database,

wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to identify the first storage manager as the first type includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to query the first storage manager database to determine the type of the first storage manager database by using the network address of the first storage manager database received from the user.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to identify the first storage manager as the first type includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to query the first storage manager database to determine the type of the first storage manager database by using a look-up table.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical report includes at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart,

wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a graphing function with the user interface so that the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers is associated with the graphing function,

wherein displaying the graphical report includes using the graphing function to display the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes at least one of a drop-down menu, a combo box, a list of check boxes, and a list of radio buttons to enable interaction with the user interface without typing database commands.

8. A method for displaying graphical reports of a status of an information management system, wherein the information management system includes a first information management subnetwork having a first plurality of computing devices and a second information management subnetwork having a second plurality of computing devices, the method comprising:

populating, with a computing device, a graphical user interface object with a list of content identifiers for heterogeneous information management system databases,

wherein the heterogeneous information management system databases include;

a first information management database of a first database management system model,

wherein the first information management database includes data associated with the first plurality of computing devices,

wherein the data in the first information management database is in a first data format, and

a second information management database of a second database management system model,

wherein the second information management database includes data associated with the second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the data in the second information management database is in a second data format,

wherein the first database management system model and the second database management system model are different from one another;

receiving input from a user via the graphical user interface,

wherein the input includes at least one selection of a content identifier from the list of content identifiers,

wherein the graphical user interface provides multiple predetermined reports,

wherein the predetermined reports include a top backup errors within a predetermined time period or data growth per data storage library, and

wherein the graphical user interface is configured to permit the user to perform the selection without requiring the user to be able to program in a database language;

determining database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases;

querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers and based on the database management system models of the heterogeneous information management system databases;

normalizing results from the query, wherein normalizing results from the query includes converting a portion of the results attributable to the first information management database in the first data format to the second data format,

wherein the normalized results represent database content for heterogeneous information management system databases; and

displaying graphical reports of the normalized results, based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers that was selected by the user,

so that the method provides a bridge between different database types to generate and display reports containing data from both the first and second information management databases.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the content identifiers include one or more of views, tables, and columns of the heterogeneous information management system databases.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the graphical reports includes at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart,

wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a network address or network identifier from the user for at least one of the heterogeneous information management system databases,

wherein determining the database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases includes using the network address or the network identifier to request the database management system models directly from the heterogeneous information management system databases over a network.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

associating a graphing function with the user interface so that the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers is associated with the graphing function,

wherein displaying the graphical reports includes using the graphing function to display the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the graphical user interface includes at least one of a drop-down menu, a combo box, a list of check boxes, and a list of radio buttons to enable interaction with the graphical user interface without typing database commands.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

merging the normalized results from the query by entering the normalized results into an interim database associated with a report generation agent that generates the displayed reports,

wherein the interim database is an in-memory database that operates in main memory of the computing device; and

sorting the results with the interim database prior to displaying the graphical results.

15. At least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one data processing device, performs a method for displaying graphical reports of a status of an information management system, wherein the information management system includes a first information management subnetwork having a first plurality of computing devices and a second information management subnetwork having a second plurality of computing devices, the method comprising:

populating, with a computing device, a graphical user interface object with a list of content identifiers for heterogeneous information management system databases,

wherein the heterogeneous information management system databases include;

a first information management database of a first database management system model,

wherein the first information management database includes data associated with the first plurality of computing devices,

wherein the data in the first information management database is in a first data format, and

a second information management database of a second database management system model,

wherein the second information management database includes data associated with the second plurality of computing devices,

wherein the data in the second information management database is in a second data format,

wherein the first database management system model and the second database management system model are different from one another;

receiving input from a user via the graphical user interface ,

wherein the input includes at least one selection of a content identifier from the list of content identifiers,

wherein the graphical user interface provides multiple predetermined reports,

wherein the predetermined reports include a top backup errors within a predetermined time period or data growth per data storage library, and

wherein the graphical user interface is configured to permit the user to perform the selection without requiring the user to be able to program in a database language;

determining database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases;

querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers and based on the database management system models of the heterogeneous information management system databases;

normalizing results from the query, wherein normalizing results from the query includes converting a portion of the results attributable to the first information management database in the first data format to the second data format,

wherein the normalized results represent database content for heterogeneous information management system databases; and

displaying graphical reports of the normalized results, based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers that was selected by the user,

so that the method provides a bridge between different database types to generate and display reports containing data from both the first and second information management databases.

16. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the content identifiers include one or more of views, tables, and columns of the heterogeneous information management system databases.

17. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the graphical reports includes at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart,

wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models.

18. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving a network address or network identifier from the user for at least one of the heterogeneous information management system databases,

wherein determining the database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases includes using the network address or the network identifier to request the database management system models directly from the heterogeneous information management system databases over a network.

19. The at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

associating a graphing function with the user interface so that the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers is associated with the graphing function,

wherein displaying the graphical reports includes using the graphing function to display the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers.