System and method for efficient backup system aware direct data migration between cloud storages

1. A method comprising:

backing up, by a backup application, a plurality of files from a plurality of clients to an active tier of a backup server;

connecting a first cloud storage provided by a first cloud storage provider to the backup application to allow moving at least a first file from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

creating first and second metadata for the first file;

replacing the first file in the active tier with the first metadata;

storing the second metadata in a cloud tier of the backup server, separate from the active tier, the first metadata in the active tier comprising a reference to the second metadata in the cloud tier, and the second metadata in the cloud tier comprising a reference to the first file moved to the first cloud storage;

connecting a second cloud storage, separate from the first cloud storage, to the backup application to allow copying the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, without recalling the first file to the active tier;

triggering, within the backup application, a data management operation comprising copying at least a portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

upon the copying, updating, by the backup application, the second metadata in the cloud tier to reference the first file now residing at the second cloud storage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from a client to restore the first file;

examining the second metadata in the cloud tier to determine a location of the first file;

determining from the examination that the first file is located at the second cloud storage;

recalling the first file from the second cloud storage to the active tier to the client, thereby fulfilling the request; and

updating metadata in the cloud tier with information indicating that the first file has been restored to the client from the second cloud storage.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating and storing first information indicating a time and date when the first file was backed up to the active tier of the backup server;

generating and storing second information indicating a time and date when the first file was moved from the active tier to the first cloud storage;

generating and storing third information indicating a time and date when the data management operation was performed on the first file;

receiving a request to display a lifecycle of the first file; and

displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic screen, a graphic having the first, second, and third information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after the copying the at least portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, deleting the first file from the first cloud storage.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after the copying the at least portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, maintaining the first file at the first cloud storage.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a data management rule to control the triggering of the data management operation between the first and second cloud storages, wherein the data management rule comprises at least one user-defined condition of a plurality of user-defined conditions to satisfy, the plurality of user-defined conditions comprising a first condition associated with an age of a file, and a second condition associated with a size of the file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

moving the plurality of files from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

determining that the plurality of files should be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

calculating an estimated time required to move the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

consulting a service level agreement (SLA) specifying an allotted threshold duration for moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage to determine whether the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration;

if the estimated time does not exceed the allotted threshold duration, proceeding with moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

if the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration, creating a priority list indicating an order in which the plurality of files are to be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, and proceeding with the moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage according to the priority list.

8. A system comprising: a processor; and memory configured to store one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of:

backing up, by a backup application, a plurality of files from a plurality of clients to an active tier of a backup server;

connecting a first cloud storage provided by a first cloud storage provider to the backup application to allow moving at least a first file from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

creating first and second metadata for the first file;

replacing the first file in the active tier with the first metadata;

storing the second metadata in a cloud tier of the backup server, separate from the active tier, the first metadata in the active tier comprising a reference to the second metadata in the cloud tier, and the second metadata in the cloud tier comprising a reference to the first file moved to the first cloud storage;

connecting a second cloud storage, separate from the first cloud storage, to the backup application to allow copying the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, without recalling the first file to the active tier;

triggering, within the backup application, a data management operation comprising copying at least a portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

upon the copying, updating, by the backup application, the second metadata in the cloud tier to reference the first file now residing at the second cloud storage.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

receiving a request from a client to restore the first file;

examining the second metadata in the cloud tier to determine a location of the first file;

determining from the examination that the first file is located at the second cloud storage;

recalling the first file from the second cloud storage to the active tier to the client, thereby fulfilling the request; and

updating metadata in the cloud tier with information indicating that the first file has been restored to the client from the second cloud storage.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

generating and storing first information indicating a time and date when the first file was backed up to the active tier of the backup server;

generating and storing second information indicating a time and date when the first file was moved from the active tier to the first cloud storage;

generating and storing third information indicating a time and date when the data management operation was performed on the first file;

receiving a request to display a lifecycle of the first file; and

displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic screen, a graphic having the first, second, and third information.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

after the copying the at least portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, deleting the first file from the first cloud storage.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

after the copying the at least portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, maintaining the first file at the first cloud storage.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

defining a data management rule to control the triggering of the data management operation between the first and second cloud storages, wherein the data management rule comprises at least one user-defined condition of a plurality of user-defined conditions to satisfy, the plurality of user-defined conditions comprising a first condition associated with an age of a file, and a second condition associated with a size of the file.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor further carries out the steps of:

moving the plurality of files from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

determining that the plurality of files should be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

calculating an estimated time required to move the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

consulting a service level agreement (SLA) specifying an allotted threshold duration for moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage to determine whether the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration;

if the estimated time does not exceed the allotted threshold duration, proceeding with moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

if the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration, creating a priority list indicating an order in which the plurality of files are to be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, and proceeding with the moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage according to the priority list.

15. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed by one or more processors to implement a method comprising:

backing up, by a backup application, a plurality of files from a plurality of clients to an active tier of a backup server;

connecting a first cloud storage provided by a first cloud storage provider to the backup application to allow moving at least a first file from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

creating first and second metadata for the first file;

replacing the first file in the active tier with the first metadata;

storing the second metadata in a cloud tier of the backup server, separate from the active tier, the first metadata in the active tier comprising a reference to the second metadata in the cloud tier, and the second metadata in the cloud tier comprising a reference to the first file moved to the first cloud storage;

connecting a second cloud storage, separate from the first cloud storage, to the backup application to allow copying the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, without recalling the first file to the active tier;

triggering, within the backup application, a data management operation comprising copying at least a portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

upon the copying, updating, by the backup application, the second metadata in the cloud tier to reference the first file now residing at the second cloud storage.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request from a client to restore the first file;

examining the second metadata in the cloud tier to determine a location of the first file;

determining from the examination that the first file is located at the second cloud storage;

recalling the first file from the second cloud storage to the active tier to the client, thereby fulfilling the request; and

updating metadata in the cloud tier with information indicating that the first file has been restored to the client from the second cloud storage.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

generating and storing first information indicating a time and date when the first file was backed up to the active tier of the backup server;

generating and storing second information indicating a time and date when the first file was moved from the active tier to the first cloud storage;

generating and storing third information indicating a time and date when the data management operation was performed on the first file;

receiving a request to display a lifecycle of the first file; and

displaying, on a graphical user interface (GUI) of an electronic screen, a graphic having the first, second, and third information.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

after the copying the at least portion of the first file from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, deleting the first file from the first cloud storage.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

defining a data management rule to control the triggering of the data management operation between the first and second cloud storages, wherein the data management rule comprises at least one user-defined condition of a plurality of user-defined conditions to satisfy, the plurality of user-defined conditions comprising a first condition associated with an age of a file, and a second condition associated with a size of the file.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the method further comprises:

moving the plurality of files from the backup server to the first cloud storage;

determining that the plurality of files should be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

calculating an estimated time required to move the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage;

consulting a service level agreement (SLA) specifying an allotted threshold duration for moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage to determine whether the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration;

if the estimated time does not exceed the allotted threshold duration, proceeding with moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage; and

if the estimated time exceeds the allotted threshold duration, creating a priority list indicating an order in which the plurality of files are to be moved from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage, and proceeding with the moving the plurality of files from the first cloud storage to the second cloud storage according to the priority list.