SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DATA PROTECTION WORKFLOWS IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving first sets of metadata elements representing respective objects of an inventory in a data storage location of a network environment;

generating an initial summary of the objects, wherein the initial summary includes first dimension groups corresponding to respective dimensions that represent respective types of metadata, wherein the dimensions are in a hierarchical arrangement, and wherein each metadata element of each first set corresponds to one of the dimensions;

presenting, on a display screen of a computer, an initial inventory view of the objects, wherein the initial inventory view includes the initial summary;

receiving a request to manipulate the initial inventory view;

generating a first summary of a first subset of the objects, wherein the first subset is defined by a hierarchical path in the hierarchical arrangement with levels of the path corresponding to the dimensions, wherein at least one level of the hierarchical path includes a single metadata element;

presenting, on the display screen of the computer, a manipulated inventory view including the first summary;

receiving a request to classify the first subset based on a first category;

receiving second sets of metadata elements and corresponding category information representing objects of the first subset that are classified based on the first category;

generating a first classification summary of the classified objects, wherein the first classification summary includes the first category and second dimension groups, the first category corresponding to a category dimension and the second dimension groups corresponding to the respective dimensions representing the respective types of metadata, wherein the respective dimensions are in the hierarchical arrangement with the category dimension at a top of the hierarchical arrangement; and

presenting, on the display screen of the computer, a classification view of the classified objects, wherein the classification view includes the first classification summary.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) data structure to represent the first sets of metadata elements,

wherein the first summary of the first subset is generated from the OLAP data structure.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the types of metadata include one or more of devices, content repositories, shares, file types, file size, and owners.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to manipulate the initial inventory view includes a selection of one of the first dimension groups.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one other level of the hierarchical path includes one of the first dimension groups, the one of the first dimension groups including two or more metadata elements.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first summary includes at least one of a total count and a total size of the objects in the first subset.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) data structure to represent the second sets of metadata elements and the corresponding category information,

wherein the second summary of the second subset is generated from the OLAP data structure.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the types of metadata include one or more of devices, content repositories, shares, file types, file sizes, and owners.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to manipulate the classification view;

generating a second summary of a second subset of the classified objects, wherein the second subset is defined by a second hierarchical path in the hierarchical arrangement with levels corresponding to the respective dimensions; and

presenting, on the display screen of the computer, a manipulated classification view including the second summary, wherein at least one level of the second hierarchical path includes another single metadata associated with another corresponding dimension.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving third sets of metadata elements and corresponding category information representing other objects of the first subset that are classified based on a second category; and

generating a second classification summary of the other classified objects, wherein the second classification summary includes the second category and third dimension groups, the second category corresponding to the category dimension and the third dimension groups corresponding to the respective dimensions representing the respective types of metadata, wherein the classification view includes the second classification summary.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second summary includes at least one of a total count and a total size of the objects in the second subset of the classified objects.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a user a selection of one or more content repositories to be searched for the objects of the inventory.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from a user a selection of one or more shares of a content repository to be searched for the objects of the inventory.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

initiating a protection task for objects of the second subset of the classified objects.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the protection task includes one of applying a remediation policy to the objects of the second subset and registering the objects of the second subset.

18 . Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by one or more processors is operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving first sets of metadata elements representing respective objects of an inventory in a data storage location of a network environment;

generating an initial summary of the objects, wherein the initial summary includes first dimension groups corresponding to respective dimensions that represent respective types of metadata, wherein the dimensions are in a hierarchical arrangement, and wherein each metadata element of each first set corresponds to one of the dimensions;

presenting, on a display screen of a computer, an initial inventory view of the objects, wherein the initial inventory view includes the initial summary;

receiving a request to manipulate the initial inventory view;

generating a first summary of a first subset of the objects, wherein the first subset is defined by a hierarchical path in the hierarchical arrangement with levels of the path corresponding to the dimensions, wherein at least one level of the hierarchical path includes a single metadata element;

presenting, on the display screen of the computer, a manipulated inventory view including the first summary;

receiving a request to classify the first subset based on a first category;

receiving second sets of metadata elements and corresponding category information representing objects of the first subset that are classified based on the first category;

generating a first classification summary of the classified objects, wherein the first classification summary includes the first category and second dimension groups, the first category corresponding to a category dimension and the second dimension groups corresponding to the respective dimensions representing the respective types of metadata, wherein the respective dimensions are in the hierarchical arrangement with the category dimension at a top of the hierarchical arrangement; and

presenting, on the display screen of the computer, a classification view of the classified objects, wherein the classification view includes the first classification summary.

19 . An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data; and

one or more processors operable to execute instructions associated with the data, wherein the processor and the memory element cooperate such that the apparatus is configured to:

receive first sets of metadata elements representing respective objects of an inventory in a data storage location of a network environment;

generate an initial summary of the objects, wherein the initial summary includes first dimension groups corresponding to respective dimensions that represent respective types of metadata, wherein the dimensions are in a hierarchical arrangement, and wherein each metadata element of each first set corresponds to one of the dimensions;

present, on a display screen of a computer, an initial inventory view of the objects, wherein the initial inventory view includes the initial summary;

receive a request to manipulate the initial inventory view;

generate a first summary of a first subset of the objects, wherein the first subset is defined by a hierarchical path in the hierarchical arrangement with levels of the path corresponding to the dimensions, wherein at least one level of the hierarchical path includes a single metadata element;

present, on the display screen of the computer, a manipulated inventory view including the first summary;

receive a request to classify the first subset based on a first category;

receive second sets of metadata elements and corresponding category information representing objects of the first subset that are classified based on the first category;

generate a classification summary of the classified objects, wherein the classification summary includes the first category and second dimension groups, the first category corresponding to a category dimension and the second dimension groups corresponding to the respective dimensions representing the respective types of metadata, wherein the respective dimensions are in the hierarchical arrangement with the category dimension at a top of the hierarchical arrangement; and

present, on the display screen of the computer, a classification view of the classified objects, wherein the classification view includes the classification summary.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 ,

wherein the first summary includes at least one of a total count and a total size of the objects in the first subset, and

wherein the classification summary includes at least one of a total count and a total size of the classified objects.