Systems and methods for performing data management operations using snapshots

1. A system for analyzing a secondary copy of a set of data, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a snapshot component configured to create a snapshot of a set of data at a specific point in time, wherein the set of data includes multiple data objects;

a copy component configured to copy the snapshot to a storage device, wherein copying the snapshot copies at least a portion of the set of data to the storage device;

an interface component configured to provide an interface to the snapshot stored on the storage device, wherein:

the interface provides access to copies of the multiple data objects stored on the storage device, and

the interface can be used to also access copies of data objects created as a result of storage operations other than storage operations that create snapshots;

a component configured to:

access at least some of the copies of the multiple data objects using the interface; and

perform at least one data management operation on the accessed copied data objects, wherein the at least one data management operation includes:

indexing content of the accessed copied data objects and adding information regarding the content to an index; or

associating the accessed copied data objects with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a database of metadata; or

identifying one or more data objects and tagging the identified one or more data objects with one or more attributes; and

an index component configured to create an index associated with the snapshot.

wherein the index includes context information related to logical locations of the copies of multiple data objects referenced by the snapshot. and

wherein the interface component utilizes the index to provide the interface to the snapshot stored on the storage device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein the snapshot component includes a sub-component configured to quiesece the application prior to the creation of the snapshot and unquiesce the application after the creation of the snapshot.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein the application includes either an email server, a Structured Query Language (SQL) server, a file server, or an application server.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the snapshot component includes a software-based sub-component that creates the snapshot of the set of data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the snapshot component includes a hardware-based sub-component that creates the snapshot of the set of data.

6. A method for analyzing a copy of a data set, wherein the method is performed by a computing device having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

providing an interface to a snapshot of a set of data, wherein:

the snapshot is stored on a storage device,

the storage device is distinct from the computing device,

the set of data includes multiple data objects,

the interface provides access to copies of the multiple data objects stored on the storage device, and

the interface can be used to access copies of data objects created as a result of storage operations other than storage operations that create snapshots;

utilizing the interface, accessing at least some of the copies of the multiple data objects;

performing, by the computing device, at least one data management operation on the accessed copied data objects, wherein the at least one data management operation includes either:

indexing content of the accessed copied data objects and adding information regarding the content to an index; or

associating the accessed copied data objects with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a database of metadata; or

identifying one or more data objects and tagging the identified one or more data objects with one or more attributes; and

creating an index associated with the snapshot, wherein the index includes context information related to logical locations of the copies of the multiple data objects referenced by the snapshot.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

utilizing the index to provide the interface to the snapshot stored on the storage device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein method further comprises:

quiesecing the application prior to creating the snapshot; and

unquiescing the application after creating the snapshot.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein the application includes either an email server, a Structured Query Language (SQL) server, a file server, or an application server.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device includes creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device at least partly with a software-based snapshot provider.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device includes creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device at least partly with a hardware-based snapshot provider.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause a computing system to perform a method for analyzing a copy of a data set, the method comprising:

providing an interface to a snapshot of a set of data, wherein:

the snapshot is stored on a storage device,

the set of data includes multiple data objects,

the interface provides access to copies of the multiple data objects stored on the storage device, and

the interface can be used to access copies of data objects created as a result of storage operations other than storage operations that create snapshots;

utilizing the interface, accessing at least some of the copies of the multiple data objects;

performing at least one data management operation on the accessed copied data objects, wherein the at least one data management operation includes either:

indexing content of the accessed copied data objects and adding information regarding the content to an index; or

associating the accessed copied data objects with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a database of metadata; or

identifying one or more data objects and tagging the identified one or more data objects with one or more attributes; and

creating an index associated with the snapshot, wherein the index includes context information related to logical locations of the copies of the multiple data objects referenced by the snapshot.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises: utilizing the index to provide the interface to the snapshot stored on the storage device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein

the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein method further comprises: quiesecing the application prior to creating the snapshot; and unquiescing the application after creating the snapshot.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the set of data is associated with an application, and wherein the application includes either an email server, a Structured Query Language (SQL) server, a file server, or an application server.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device includes creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device utilizing a software-based snapshot provider.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device includes creating the snapshot of the set of data of the computing device utilizing a hardware-based snapshot provider.

18. A system for analyzing a secondary copy of a set of data, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

means for storing data;

means for providing an interface to a snapshot of a set of data, wherein:

the snapshot is stored on the means for storing data,

the set of data includes multiple data objects,

the interface provides access to copies of the multiple data objects stored on the means for storing data, and

the interface can be used to access copies of data objects created as a result of storage operations other than storage operations that create snapshots; and

means for:

accessing at least some of the copies of the multiple data objects using the interface; and

performing at least one data management operation on the accessed copied data objects, wherein the at least one data management operation includes either:

indexing content of the accessed copied data objects and adding information regarding the content to an index; or

associating the accessed copied data objects with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a database of metadata; or

identifying one or more data objects and tagging the identified one or more data objects with one or more attributes; and

means for creating an index associated with the snapshot,

wherein the index includes context information related to logical locations of the copies of the multiple data objects referenced by the snapshot, and

wherein the means for providing the interface to the snapshot utilizes the index to provide the interface to the snapshot stored on the storage device.

19. A method performed by a data storage system for performing a data management operation on a data object, wherein the data storage system includes a processor and memory, the method comprising:

receiving a request to restore a data object;

identifying a copy of the data object via a snapshot containing an image of the data object at a point in time;

parsing an index logically associated with the snapshot to retrieve a location of the copy of the data object;

accessing the copy of the data object using the retrieved location from the index logically associated with the snapshot; and

performing at least one data management operation on the copy of the data object, wherein the at least one data management operation includes either:

indexing content of the copy of the data object and adding information regarding the content to an index; or

associating the copy of the data object with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a database of metadata; or

tagging the copy of the data object with one or more attributes.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

parsing the index associated with the snapshot to retrieve information providing application specific context for the copy of the data object.