Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can filter secondary copies of data (e.g., backups, snapshots, archives, etc.) generated by multiple client computing devices into a single, filtered, global reference copy. A reference copy may be a filtered view or representation of secondary storage data in a data storage system. A reference copy may include a data structure that includes references to a subset of secondary storage data that meets certain filtering criteria. The filtering criteria may be specified by users according to user preference. Data included in a reference copy may be stored in native format (e.g., format of the application that generated the data) and be accessible through the application associated with the data.

Abstract: A system for providing user access to electronic mail includes an email client and an email server. The email client receives and communicates a user interaction with an email message. The email server that receives the communication, determines whether the email message stored in a live database or in a backup storage. Upon determination that the email message is stored in a backup storage, the email server performs a message exchange with a backup storage system to perform the user-requested action.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a system can include a client computing device configured to: in response to user interaction, store an identifier associated with a first tag in association with a first file; and in response to instructions to perform a secondary copy operation, forward the first file, a second file, and the identifier associated with the first tag. The system may also include a secondary storage controller computer(s) configured to: based on a review of the identifier associated with the first tag, identify the first file as having been tagged with the first tag; electronically obtain rules associated with the first tag; perform on the first file at least a first secondary storage operation specified by the rules associated with the first tag; and perform on the second file at least a second secondary storage operation, wherein the first and second secondary storage operations are different.

Abstract: A system for providing user access to electronic mail includes an email client and an email server. The email client receives and communicates a user interaction with an email message The email server that receives the communication, determines whether the email message stored in a live database or in a backup storage. Upon determination that the email message is stored in a backup storage, the email server performs a message exchange with a backup storage system to perform the user-requested action.

Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can filter secondary copies of data (e.g., backups, snapshots, archives, etc.) generated by multiple client computing devices into a single, filtered, global reference copy. A reference copy may be a filtered view or representation of secondary storage data in a data storage system. A reference copy may include a data structure that includes references to a subset of secondary storage data that meets certain filtering criteria. The filtering criteria may be specified by users according to user preference. Data included in a reference copy may be stored in native format (e.g., format of the application that generated the data) and be accessible through the application associated with the data.

Abstract: A system according to certain aspects improves the process of creating secondary copies of data (e.g., creating backup copies). The system can compute the score of the data (e.g., a computer file storing information) to be backed up, and determine whether the score satisfies one or more threshold criteria before backing up the data. In one example, a change in score indicates a change in the content of the data. The threshold criteria may be that the score be different from the score of the most recently backed up copy of the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for storage pruning can enable users to delete, edit, or copy backed up data that matches a pattern. Storage pruning can enable fine-grain deletion or copying of these files from backups stored in secondary storage devices. Systems and methods can also enable editing of metadata associated with backups so that when the backups are restored or browsed, the logical edits to the metadata can then be performed physically on the data to create a custom restore or a custom view. A user may perform operations such as renaming, deleting, modifying flags, and modifying retention policies on backed up items. Although the underlying data in the backup may not change, the view of the backup data when the user browses the backup data can appear to include the user's changes. A restore of the data can cause those changes to be performed on the backup data.

Abstract: An improved content indexing (CI) system is disclosed herein. For example, the improved CI system may include a distributed architecture of client computing devices, media agents, a single backup and CI database, and a pool of servers. After a file backup occurs, the backup and CI database may include file metadata indices and other information associated with backed up files. Servers in the pool of servers may, in parallel, query the backup and CI database for a list of files assigned to the respective server that have not been content indexed. The servers may then request a media agent to restore the assigned files from secondary storage and provide the restored files to the servers. The servers may then content index the received restored files. Once the content indexing is complete, the servers can send the content index information to the backup and CI database for storage.

Abstract: An improved content indexing (CI) system is disclosed herein. For example, the improved CI system may include a distributed architecture of client computing devices, media agents, a single backup and CI database, and a pool of servers. After a file backup occurs, the backup and CI database may include file metadata indices and other information associated with backed up files. Servers in the pool of servers may, in parallel, query the backup and CI database for a list of files assigned to the respective server that have not been content indexed. The servers may then request a media agent to restore the assigned files from secondary storage and provide the restored files to the servers. The servers may then content index the received restored files. Once the content indexing is complete, the servers can send the content index information to the backup and CI database for storage.

Abstract: An improved content indexing system is disclosed herein that content indexing system combines the functionality of the backup metadata database and the content index database into a single backup and content index database to avoid the need to perform synchronization operations. By using a single backup and content index database, the content indexing system also reduces the computing performance costs that would be associated with the synchronization operations as the amount of indexed content increases, thereby solving scalability issues.

Abstract: An improved content indexing (CI) system is disclosed herein. For example, the improved CI system may include a distributed architecture of client computing devices, media agents, a single backup and CI database, and a pool of servers. After a file backup occurs, the backup and CI database may include file metadata indices and other information associated with backed up files. Servers in the pool of servers may, in parallel, query the backup and CI database for a list of files assigned to the respective server that have not been content indexed. The servers may then request a media agent to restore the assigned files from secondary storage and provide the restored files to the servers. The servers may then content index the received restored files. Once the content indexing is complete, the servers can send the content index information to the backup and CI database for storage.

Abstract: An improved content indexing (CI) system is disclosed herein. For example, the improved CI system may include a distributed architecture of client computing devices, media agents, a single backup and CI database, and a pool of servers. After a file backup occurs, the backup and CI database may include file metadata indices and other information associated with backed up files. Servers in the pool of servers may, in parallel, query the backup and CI database for a list of files assigned to the respective server that have not been content indexed. The servers may then request a media agent to restore the assigned files from secondary storage and provide the restored files to the servers. The servers may then content index the received restored files. Once the content indexing is complete, the servers can send the content index information to the backup and CI database for storage.

Abstract: An improved content indexing system is disclosed herein that content indexing system combines the functionality of the backup metadata database and the content index database into a single backup and content index database to avoid the need to perform synchronization operations. By using a single backup and content index database, the content indexing system also reduces the computing performance costs that would be associated with the synchronization operations as the amount of indexed content increases, thereby solving scalability issues.

Abstract: An improved content indexing (CI) system is disclosed herein. For example, the improved CI system may include a distributed architecture of client computing devices, media agents, a single backup and CI database, and a pool of servers. After a file backup occurs, the backup and CI database may include file metadata indices and other information associated with backed up files. Servers in the pool of servers may, in parallel, query the backup and CI database for a list of files assigned to the respective server that have not been content indexed. The servers may then request a media agent to restore the assigned files from secondary storage and provide the restored files to the servers. The servers may then content index the received restored files. Once the content indexing is complete, the servers can send the content index information to the backup and CI database for storage.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, systems and methods for archiving and/or backing up PST files or other mail or calendar data, or the like (“off-line mail data”) are provided. Off-line mail data can be searched for in a client computer system, a copy of which may be transferred to secondary storage. Further, emails, contacts, calendar data, and/or the like (e.g., Microsoft Outlook data) contained in the transferred off-line mail data may be extracted, wherein it is determined whether copies of the data already exist backup data. Off-line mail data that already exists in backup can be deleted from the PST file. Following back-up of the off-line mail data, the backed up file may be deleted from the client system and/or the creation of future off-line mail files may be disabled.

Abstract: A system according to certain aspects improves the process of creating secondary copies of data (e.g., creating backup copies). The system can compute the score of the data (e.g., a computer file storing information) to be backed up, and determine whether the score satisfies one or more threshold criteria before backing up the data. In one example, a change in score indicates a change in the content of the data. The threshold criteria may be that the score be different from the score of the most recently backed up copy of the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for storage pruning can enable users to delete, edit, or copy backed up data that matches a pattern. Storage pruning can enable fine-grain deletion or copying of these files from backups stored in secondary storage devices. Systems and methods can also enable editing of metadata associated with backups so that when the backups are restored or browsed, the logical edits to the metadata can then be performed physically on the data to create a custom restore or a custom view. A user may perform operations such as renaming, deleting, modifying flags, and modifying retention policies on backed up items. Although the underlying data in the backup may not change, the view of the backup data when the user browses the backup data can appear to include the user's changes. A restore of the data can cause those changes to be performed on the backup data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing backup operations and other secondary copy operations for mail servers, such as Exchange servers, are described. In some cases, the systems and methods perform multi-streaming backup and other copy operations using a single mailbox agent, which launches backup streams via a coordinator that determines when to launch streams, at what mailboxes (or folders) to launch the streams, and so on. The coordinator communicates with controllers at different machines (e.g., servers) to be backed up, and may assign streams, mailboxes, and so on, to the different controllers, which perform the backup operations for their assigned mailboxes and/or clients.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and/or facilitating live browsing of granular mail or mailbox data, such as data stored within Exchange mailboxes, are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide mechanisms for browsing and/or restoring granular data (e.g., email data) from an Exchange database backup copy (or other secondary copy), without having to restore the entire database from the backup copy.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing data storage operations, such as archiving and/or backing up of data, for mail servers, such as Exchange servers, via a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) interface are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide an SMTP server between one or more Exchange servers and a media agent, which is configured to performing secondary copy operations, in order to quickly and/or efficiently generate archive or other secondary copies of various mailboxes within the mail server before or during the transfer of mail data to the media agent for data storage operations.