Targeted snapshot based on virtual machine location

1. An information management system, comprising:

a storage manager comprising one or more first processors,

wherein the storage manager is communicatively coupled to a primary storage device and a host computing device, and

wherein the host computing device comprises one or more second processors and a virtual machine instantiated thereon and executing on the one or more second processors; and

wherein the storage manager is configured to:

receive from the host computing device information regarding hardware that stores virtual machine data for the virtual machine,

wherein the information identifies within the primary storage device one or more of: a storage unit and a physical location, and

wherein the information results from a first snapshot of the virtual machine previously made by the host computing device;

request the primary storage device to make at least a hardware snapshot of the identified one or more of: the storage unit and the physical location in which the virtual machine data is stored for the virtual machine at the primary storage device; and

cause a secondary storage computing device to perform a backup operation of the virtual machine data captured in the hardware snapshot.

2. The information management system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware snapshot requested from the primary storage device is based on the information regarding hardware that stores the virtual machine data resulting from the first snapshot.

3. The information management system of claim 1 ,

wherein the virtual machine data is stored on a plurality of storage units at the primary storage device; and

wherein the storage manager is further configured to request the primary storage device to take a respective hardware snapshot of each of the plurality of storage units where the virtual machine data is stored.

4. The information management system of claim 1 , wherein the storage manager is further configured to request the host computing device to perform

the first snapshot.

5. The information management system of claim 4 , wherein the storage manager is further configured to instruct the host computing device to place the virtual machine in a stable state to perform the requested first snapshot.

6. The information management system of claim 4 , wherein the storage manager is further configured to instruct the host computing device to store changes to the virtual machine apart from the virtual machine data after performing the requested first snapshot.

7. The information management system of claim 4 , wherein the storage manager is further configured to: cause the host computing device to merge the virtual machine data snapshotted by the host computing device with pre-snapshot virtual machine data of the virtual machine.

8. The information management system of claim 1 , wherein the storage manager is configured to communicate regarding the virtual machine with a hypervisor executing on the host computing device.

9. The information management system of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of virtual machines execute on the host computing device,

and

wherein the storage manager is configured to identify one or more storage units that store virtual machine data corresponding to the plurality of virtual machines.

10. The information management system of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises at least one of: a sector location and a block location.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a storage manager comprising one or more processors and computer memory, cause the storage manager to perform operations comprising:

receive from a host computing device in communication with the storage manager information regarding hardware that stores virtual machine data for a virtual machine that executes on the host computing device,

wherein the information identifies within a primary storage device one or more of: a storage unit and a physical location for the virtual machine data, and

wherein the information is based on a first snapshot of the virtual machine previously taken by the host computing device;

request the primary storage device make at least a hardware snapshot of the identified one or more of: the storage unit and the physical location in which the virtual machine data is stored for the virtual machine; and

cause a secondary storage computing device to perform a backup operation of the virtual machine data captured in the hardware snapshot.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the hardware snapshot requested from the primary storage device is based on the information regarding hardware that stores the virtual machine data resulting from the first snapshot.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 ,

wherein the virtual machine data is stored on a plurality of storage units at the primary storage device; and

wherein the storage manager is further configured to request the primary storage device to take a respective hardware snapshot of each of the plurality of storage units where the virtual machine data is stored.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the storage manager requests the host computing device to perform the first snapshot.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the storage manager instructs the host computing device to place the virtual machine in a stable state to perform the requested first snapshot.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the storage instructs the host computing device to store changes to the virtual machine apart from the virtual machine data after performing the requested first snapshot.