Abstract: An intelligent data management utility is disposed between a storage system and a data source to automatically and transparently initiate appropriate data management operations without interfering with normal data flow between the data source and the storage system. According to one embodiment, the intelligent data management utility resides within a storage controller and includes a mechanism for intercepting events, such as file activity. Based upon the file activity (e.g., file creation, file open, file read, file write, file close, and the like), the intelligent data management utility invokes one or more appropriate data management applications using a tightly-coupled transport and policy store. The transport queries the policy store for actions to be performed and invokes the appropriate data management application or applications. Upon completion of the data management tasks, status is returned through the transport to the file system filter.