SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING DATA IN A BACK-UP APPLIANCE USING SHALLOW METADATA COPYING

1 . A method for protecting data within a storage system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more user objects from a user into the storage system, each of the one or more user objects including user data that includes user metadata and raw data that are separated from one another by a storage manager;

deduplicating the raw data with a data deduplicator;

copying the user metadata and system metadata to provide copied metadata; and

storing the copied metadata in a metadata storage area within the storage system so that the copied metadata stored in the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing includes the metadata storage area being time-protected so that the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user for a specified period of time.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of accessing the user data within the storage system during the specified period of time that the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the step of storing includes the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area being modifiable by the user after expiration of the specified period of time.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of breaking up the one or more user objects into a plurality of sub-objects with the storage manager prior to deduplicating the user data with the data deduplicator.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the step of copying includes the system metadata including details of the plurality of sub-objects.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing the raw data in a data storage area within the storage system.

8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of storing the copied metadata in a separate, second metadata storage area within the storage system so that the copied metadata stored in the second metadata storage area is modifiable by the user.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the copied metadata that is stored in the user modifiable, second metadata storage area and that is stored in the unmodifiable metadata storage area includes a reference that points to sub-objects in the data storage area that allows the storage system to rehydrate the raw data for the user objects.

10 . A data protection system for protecting data within a storage system, the data protection system comprising:

one or more user objects from a user that are received into the storage system, each of the one or more user objects including user data that includes user metadata and raw data;

a storage manager that separates the raw data from the user metadata;

a data deduplicator that deduplicates the raw data; and

a metadata storage area within the storage system that is configured to receive and store a copy of the user metadata and system metadata collectively as copied metadata so that the copied metadata stored in the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user.

11 . The data protection system of claim 10 wherein the metadata storage area is time-protected so that the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user for a specified period of time.

12 . The data protection system of claim 11 wherein the user can access the user data within the storage system during the specified period of time that the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user.

13 . The data protection system of claim 11 wherein the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is modifiable by the user after expiration of the specified period of time.

14 . The data protection system of claim 10 wherein the one or more user objects are broken up into a plurality of sub-objects with the storage manager prior to being deduplicated by the data deduplicator.

15 . The data protection system of claim 14 wherein the system metadata includes details of the plurality of sub-objects.

16 . The data protection system of claim 10 wherein the raw data is stored in a data storage area within the storage system.

17 . The data protection system of claim 16 wherein the metadata is further stored in a separate, second metadata storage area within the storage system so that the copied metadata stored in the second metadata storage area is modifiable by the user.

18 . The data protection system of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the copied metadata that is stored in the user modifiable, second metadata storage area and that is stored in the unmodifiable metadata storage area includes a reference that points to sub-objects in the data storage area that allows the storage system to rehydrate the raw data for the user objects.

19 . A method for protecting data within a storage system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more user objects from a user into the storage system, each of the one or more user objects including user data that includes user metadata and raw data;

breaking up the one or more user objects into a plurality of sub-objects with a storage manager;

deduplicating the raw data with a data deduplicator after the one or more user object have been broken up into the plurality of sub-objects;

storing the raw data in a data storage area within the storage system;

copying the user metadata and system metadata to provide copied metadata;

storing the copied metadata in a metadata storage area within the storage system so that the copied metadata stored in the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user for a specified period of time;

storing the copied metadata in a separate, second metadata storage area within the storage system so that the copied metadata stored in the second metadata storage area is modifiable by the user; and

accessing the user data within the storage system during the specified period of time that the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area is not modifiable by the user;

wherein at least a portion of the copied metadata that is stored in the user modifiable, second metadata storage area and that is stored in the unmodifiable metadata storage area includes a reference that points to sub-objects in the data storage area that allows the storage system to rehydrate the raw data for the user objects.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the step of storing includes the copied metadata stored within the metadata storage area being modifiable by the user after expiration of the specified period of time.