Expanding discovery during backup generation to generate snapshot backups

1. A method for generating backups of host data snapshots, comprising:

identifying, by a data protection agent of a host, an asset discovery event associated with the host;

in response to identifying the asset discovery event:

obtaining file system metadata associated with the host from a file system metadata repository on a storage of the host;

identifying existing snapshots on the host using the file system metadata;

obtaining snapshot metadata associated with the snapshots using the file system metadata;

providing the file system metadata to a data protection manager to generate assets;

providing the snapshot metadata to the data protection manager to generate pseudo-assets, wherein generating pseudo-assets by the data protection manager comprises:

generating pseudo-assets based on the snapshot metadata, wherein the pseudo-assets correspond to the snapshots;

assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies; and

performing data protection services on the pseudo-assets based on the protection policies.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies comprises:

making a determination that pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria are included in a storage of the data protection manager; and

in response to the determination:

assigning the pseudo-assets to the protection policies based on the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria specifies rules for assigning pseudo-assets to protection policies.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria is configured by a user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies comprises:

making a determination that pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria are not included in a storage of the data protection manager; and

in response to the determination:

providing the pseudo-assets to a user;

obtaining user selections associated with the pseudo-assets; and

assigning the pseudo-assets to the protection policies based on the user selections.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an asset of the assets comprises one selected from a group consisting of:

an application;

a virtual machine; and

a file system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the snapshot metadata comprises:

snapshot identifiers associated with the snapshots;

creation times associated with the snapshots;

sub-asset identifiers of sub assets associated with the snapshots;

location information associated with the snapshots; and

snapshot types associated with the snapshots.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sub-assets comprise:

files associated with the assets; and

folders associated with the assets.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protection policies specify requirements for performing the data protection services.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data protection services comprise:

generating backups of the pseudo-assets based on the protection policies;

storing the backups in a storage location of a backup storage based on the protection policies; and

deleting the backups based on the protection policy.

11. A method for generating backups of host data snapshots, comprising:

identifying, by a data protection agent of a host, an asset discovery event associated with the host;

in response to identifying the asset discovery event:

obtaining file system metadata associated with the host from a file system metadata repository on a storage of the host;

identifying existing snapshots on the host using the file system metadata;

obtaining snapshot metadata associated with the snapshots using the file system metadata;

providing the file system metadata to a data protection manager to generate assets; and

providing the snapshot metadata to the data protection manager to generate pseudo-assets.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating pseudo-assets by the data protection manager comprises:

generating pseudo-assets based on the snapshot metadata, wherein the pseudo-assets correspond to the snapshots;

assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies; and

performing data protection services on the pseudo-assets based on the protection policies.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies comprises:

making a determination that pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria are not included in a storage of the data protection manager; and

in response to the determination:

providing the pseudo-assets to a user;

obtaining user selections associated with the pseudo-assets; and

assigning the pseudo-assets to the protection policies based on the user selections.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein assigning the pseudo-assets to protection policies comprises:

making a determination that pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria are included in a storage of the data protection manager; and

in response to the determination:

assigning the pseudo-assets to the protection policies based on the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria specifies rules for assigning pseudo-assets to protection policies.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pseudo-asset policy assignment criteria is configured by a user.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the protection policies specify requirements for performing the data protection services.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the data protection services comprise:

generating backups of the pseudo-assets based on the protection policies;

storing the backups in a storage location of a backup storage based on the protection policies; and

deleting the backups based on the protection policy.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein an asset of the assets comprises one selected from a group consisting of:

an application;

a virtual machine; and

a file system.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the snapshot metadata comprises:

snapshot identifiers associated with the snapshots;

creation times associated with the snapshots;

sub-asset identifiers of sub assets associated with the snapshots;

location information associated with the snapshots; and

snapshot types associated with the snapshots.