Abstract: An apparatus and a method to make data sets conform to data management policies are presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a conformance checker and a conformance engine. The conformance checker may be operable to compare a state of a data set against a data management policy associated with the data set to determine if the data set currently conforms to the data management policy. The conformance engine may then make the data set conform to the data management policy if the conformance checker determines that the data set currently violates the data management policy.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to manage data using data sets are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes allowing an administrator of a data storage system to define a data set having a plurality of storage objects and to associate the data set with a data management policy, wherein each of the plurality of storage objects includes a logical representation of a collection of data and replicas of the collection of data, the collection of data stored in storage containers managed by storage servers in the data storage system, wherein the storage containers are independent of the logical representation. The method may further include using a storage manager to manage the data set as a single unit according to the data management policy.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method to make data sets conform to data management policies are presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a conformance checker and a conformance engine. The conformance checker may be operable to compare a state of a data set against a data management policy associated with the data set to determine if the data set currently conforms to the data management policy. The conformance engine may then make the data set conform to the data management policy if the conformance checker determines that the data set currently violates the data management policy.