System and method for effecting information governance

1. A method to manage data located on networked devices, comprising:

replicating objects residing on the networked devices by extracting and forwarding the objects residing on the networked devices to an information governance server, and storing the extracted and forwarded objects on the information governance server as replicated objects;

collecting information about at least one of the objects or the networked devices;

receiving input on desired information governance policies and outcomes;

analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, wherein analyzing further comprises detecting semantic concepts in objects, detecting semantic concepts across objects, and searching the objects based on semantic content of the objects; and

determining an information governance action based on the collected information, the received input and the analysis of the replicated objects.

2. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the collected information includes at least one of attributes of the networked devices, policies for managing the objects on the networked devices, or usage statistics of the objects.

3. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the objects are replicated as part of a data loss protection process, and wherein the information governance action comprises one or more of distribution of objects, archiving of objects and deletion of objects.

4. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the object is one of a file, a document, a record, a table, or a database.

5. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the networked devices include a governance client and a storage device, and the information governance action is associated with one of the desired information governance policies to ensure that the objects residing on the various networked devices are governed in accordance with the policy.

6. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the information governance action includes:

properly disposing information,

preserving information security and information privacy,

conducting information life management across the network,

holistically retrieving information for one of a search operation or a restore operation, and

applying consolidation and control over the information in the network.

7. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 6 , wherein properly disposing information includes,

analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and

flagging any identical copy of an object when the object has expired.

8. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 6 , wherein preserving information security and information privacy includes,

running analytics on the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify confidential objects based on object classification,

evaluating compliance with the desired information governance policies based on the results of running the analytics and the collected information, wherein the desired governance policies are associated with government regulations, and

flagging non-compliance with the policies.

9. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 6 , wherein conducting information life management across the network includes,

detecting duplicate objects residing on the networked devices by analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server,

evaluating a number of online, nearline, and offline copies needed for each of the objects and determining distribution for the number of online, nearline, and offline copies based on the collected information and the received input,

determining a course of action to achieve the determined number of online, nearline and offline copies.

10. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 6 , wherein holistically retrieving information includes,

analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and

selecting a copy of an object to be retrieved based on the collected information, and

retrieving the selected copy.

11. The method to manage data located on networked devices as recited in claim 1 , wherein the determination of the information governance action is based on the analysis of the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, the collected information and the received input.

12. A non-transitory computer readable media having program instructions for managing data located on networked devices, the computer readable media comprising:

program instructions for replicating objects residing on the networked devices and storing the replicated objects on an information governance server;

program instructions for collecting information about at least one of the objects or the networked devices;

program instructions for receiving input on desired information governance policies and outcomes;

program instructions for analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, wherein analyzing further comprises detecting semantic concepts in objects, detecting semantic concepts across objects, and searching the objects based on semantic content of the objects; and

program instructions for determining an information governance action based on the collected information, the received input and the analysis of the replicated objects.

13. The computer readable media as recited in claim 12 , wherein the collected information includes at least one of attributes of the networked devices, policies for managing the objects on the networked devices, and usage statistics of the objects.

14. The computer readable media as recited in claim 12 , wherein the objects are replicated as part of a data loss protection process.

15. The computer readable media as recited in claim 12 , wherein the object is one of a file, a document, a record, a table, or a database.

16. The computer readable media as recited in claim 12 , wherein the networked devices include a governance client and a storage device, and the information governance action is associated with one of the desired information governance policies to ensure that the objects residing on the various networked devices are governed in accordance with the policy.

17. The computer readable media as recited in claim 12 , wherein the information governance action includes at least one of,

properly disposing information,

preserving information security and information privacy,

conducting information life management across the network,

holistically retrieving information for one of a search operation or a restore operation, or

applying consolidation and control over the information in the network.

18. The compute readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein properly disposing information includes,

analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical or similar objects residing on the networked devices, and

flagging any identical copy of an object when the object has expired.

19. The computer readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein preserving information security and information privacy includes,

running analytics on the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify confidential objects based on object classification,

evaluating compliance with the desired information governance policies based on the results of running the analytics and the collected information, wherein the desired governance policies are based on networked device attributes, and

flagging non-compliance with the policies.

20. The computer readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein conducting information life management across the network includes, detecting duplicate objects residing on the networked devices by analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, evaluating a number of online, nearline, and offline copies needed for each of the objects based on the collected information and the received input, determining distribution for the number of online, nearline, and offline copies, and determining a course of action to achieve the determined number of online, nearline and offline copies.

21. The computer readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein holistically retrieving information includes, analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and selecting a copy of an object to be retrieved based on the collected information, and retrieving the selected copy.

22. The computer readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein the determination of the information governance action is based on the analysis of the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, the collected information and the received input.

23. A system for managing data located on networked devices, comprising:

an information governance server for communicating with all the networked devices, the information governance server comprising:

an information manager for replicating objects residing on the networked devices and storing the replicated objects on the information governance server, collecting information about at least one of the objects or the networked devices, and receiving input on desired information governance policies and outcomes;

an information analyzer for analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, wherein analyzing further comprises detecting semantic concepts in objects, detecting semantic concepts across objects, and searching the objects based on semantic content of the objects; and

an action module for determining an information governance action based on the collected information, the received input, and the analysis of the replicated objects stored on the information governance server.

24. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 23 , wherein the collected information includes at least one of attributes of the networked devices, policies for managing the objects on the networked devices, and usage statistics of the objects.

25. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 23 , wherein the objects are replicated as part of a data loss protection process.

26. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 23 , wherein the object is one of a file, a document, a record, a table, or a database.

27. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 23 , wherein the networked devices include a governance client and a storage device, and the information governance action is associated with one of the desired information governance policies to ensure that the objects residing on the various networked devices are governed in accordance with the policy.

28. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 23 , wherein the information governance action includes at least one of, properly disposing information, preserving information security and information privacy, conducting information life management across the network, holistically retrieving information for one of a search operation or a restore operation, or applying consolidation and control over the information in the network.

29. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 28 , wherein properly disposing information includes, analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and flagging the identical copy of an object when the object is expired.

30. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 28 , wherein preserving information security and information privacy includes, running analytics on the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify confidential objects based on object classification, evaluating compliance with the desired information governance policies based on the results of running the analytics and the collected information, and flagging non-compliance with the policies, wherein the desired governance policies are based on device attributes and device usage statistics.

31. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 28 , wherein conducting information life management across the network includes, detecting duplicate objects residing on the networked devices by analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, evaluating a number of online, nearline, and offline copies needed for each of the objects based on the collected information and the received input, determining distribution for the number of online, nearline, and offline copies, and determining a course of action to achieve the determined number of online, nearline and offline copies.

32. The system for managing data located on networked devices as recited in claim 28 , wherein holistically retrieving information includes, analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and selecting a copy of an object to be retrieved based on the collected information, and retrieving the selected copy.

33. An information governance system to assist in managing data located on networked devices, the information governance system comprising:

an information governance server configured for:

replicating objects residing on the networked devices and storing the replicated objects on the information governance server;

collecting information about at least one of the objects or the networked devices;

receiving input on desired information governance policies and outcomes;

analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, wherein analyzing further comprises detecting semantic concepts in objects, detecting semantic concepts across objects, and searching the objects based on semantic content of the objects; and

determining an information governance action based on the collected information, the received input and the analysis of the replicated objects.

34. The information governance system as recited in claim 33 , wherein the collected information includes at least one of attributes of the networked devices, policies for managing the objects on the networked devices, and usage statistics of the objects.

35. The information governance system as recited in claim 33 , wherein the objects are replicated as part of a data loss protection process.

36. The information governance system as recited in claim 33 , wherein the object is one of a file, a document, a record, a table, or a database.

37. The information governance system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the networked devices include a governance client and a storage device, and the information governance action is associated with one of the desired information governance policies to ensure that the objects residing on the various networked devices are governed in accordance with the policy.

38. The information governance system as recited in claim 33 , wherein the information governance action includes at least one of, properly disposing information, preserving information security and information privacy, conducting information life management across the network, holistically retrieving information for one of a search operation or a restore operation, or applying consolidation and control over the information in the network.

39. The information governance system as recited in claim 38 , wherein properly disposing information includes, analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and flagging any identical copy of an object when the object is expired.

40. The information governance system as recited in claim 38 , wherein preserving information security and information privacy includes, running analytics on the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify confidential objects based on object classification, evaluating compliance with the desired information governance policies based on the results of running the analytics and the collected information, wherein the desired governance policies are based on networked device attributes, and flagging non-compliance with the policies.

41. The information governance system as recited in claim 38 , wherein conducting information life management across the network includes, detecting duplicate objects residing on the networked devices by analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server, evaluating a number of online, nearline, and offline copies needed for each of the objects based on the collected information and the received input, determining a course of action to achieve the determined number of online, nearline and offline copies including determining distribution the number of online, nearline, and offline copies among the networked devices.

42. The information governance system as recited in claim 38 , wherein holistically retrieving information includes, analyzing the replicated objects stored on the information governance server to identify identical objects residing on the networked devices, and selecting a copy of an object to be retrieved based on the collected information, and retrieving the selected copy.