SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLASSIFYING AND TRANSFERRING INFORMATION IN A STORAGE NETWORK
Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.
1 . A first data storage system coupled to a second data storage system, comprising:
a processor for executing instructions;
an input/output device coupled to the processor, wherein the input/output device receives a block of data; and,
a data storage device coupled to the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
analyze the block of data,
wherein the analyzing includes analyzing metadata for the block of data to identify a set of data,
wherein the set of data is less than the block of data;
determine one or more of multiple categorizations for the set of data,
wherein the categorizations are not stored with the block of data,
wherein the categorizations are associated with a subset of data, and,
wherein the subset of data is less than the set of data, and
facilitate performance of a storage operation with respect to the subset of data based on the one or more categorizations for the block of data, and not based on a storage location of the block of data.
2 . The first data storage system of claim 1 wherein the processor facilitates performance of a storage operation by offloading a portion of the storage operation that identifies data related to the storage operation to the second data storage system, wherein the categorizations are accessed by the second data storage system to identify data stored at the first data storage system related to the storage operation without accessing the first data storage system.
3 . The first data storage system of claim 1 wherein the first and second data storage systems are part of a network, and wherein the processor is coupled to the data storage device through the network.
4 . The first data storage system of claim 1 wherein the input/output device is a port for receiving the block of data from a network.
5 . The first data storage system of claim 1 wherein the processor executes an agent specialized for an application that is associated with the block of data and the block of data is a data file.
6 . A system for managing storage operations between multiple servers storing copies of multiple data objects, the system comprising:
a metabase component containing metadata that at least identifies one or more locations where copies of the multiple data object can be found,
wherein the metadata contains metadata of the multiple data objects, and
wherein the metabase component identifies a set of data objects associated with a storage operation to be performed, and,
wherein the set of data objects is less than the multiple data objects;
a storage manager component that—
accesses the metadata,
determines one or more classifications for the set of data objects, and
determines which of multiple devices should handle the storage operation,
wherein the one or more classifications are associated with a subset of data objects, and
wherein the subset of data objects is less than the set of data objects; and,
a storage operation execution component that, based in part on the classifications, forwards the subset of data objects to the determined device to handle the storage operation, or identifies the subset of data objects for the determined device to handle the storage operation.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the metabase component comprises a data classification component that adds one or more data classifications to the metabase, wherein the classifications describe at least some characteristics of the subset of data objects not stored with the data objects themselves.
8 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component receives requests to access data objects from a web server.
9 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component receives requests to read data objects from a file server.
10 . The system of claim 6 wherein the metabase component identifies the one or more locations based on results of a search for data objects identified in a received request for the storage operation.
11 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component determines which of multiple servers should handle the storage operation based on one or more criteria associated with a received request for the storage operation.
12 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component determines which of multiple servers should handle the storage operation based on a level of activity of the multiple servers, wherein the level of activity is past, current, or projected.
13 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component determines which of multiple servers should handle a received request for the storage operation based on network proximity of each of the multiple servers to a source of the request.
14 . The system of claim 6 wherein the storage manager component determines which of multiple servers should handle the request based on a proximity of each of multiple servers to the subset of data objects.
15 . A method of performing a data storage operation with respect to at least one secondary storage location, the method comprising:
receiving a request to perform a storage operation with respect to the at least one secondary storage location;
determining which of two metabase to access for information related to the storage request, wherein the two metabases are not identical;
accessing the determined metabase to obtain information related to the storage request; and
analyzing metadata for multiple data objects to identify a set of data objects,
wherein the set of data objects is less than the multiple data objects;
receiving one or more of multiple classifications for the set of data objects,
wherein the classifications are not stored with the multiple data objects,
wherein the classifications are associated with a subset of data objects, and,
wherein the subset of data objects is less than the set of data objects; and,
performing the storage request based at least in part on the request and the classifications associated with the subset of data objects.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the receiving the request comprises receiving selection criteria for locating one or more data objects.
17 . The method of claim 15 wherein the determining is based on a distribution of metadata describing data stored within the secondary storage location.
18 . The method of claim 15 wherein the determining is based on a distribution architecture of the at least two metabases.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the determining is based at least in part on a characteristic of data identified in the storage operation request.
20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the determining is based on the availability of the secondary storage location.
21 . The method of claim 15 wherein the accessing comprises obtaining parameters for the storage operation.
22 . The method of claim 15 wherein the accessing comprises reading a storage policy related to the storage request.
23 . The method of claim 15 wherein the received storage request comprises a request to backup or restore data.