Abstract: An illustrative approach to managing snapshots streamlines how and when snapshots are generated in a storage management system, such that fewer snapshots may be generated without diminishing the scope of data protection. A novel unified-snapshot storage policy may govern snapshots for any number of subclients. A unified-snapshot job based on the unified-snapshot storage policy enables the illustrative storage management system to automatically discover relevant components and generate at most one snapshot per target logical unit number (“LUN”) in a storage array. Each snapshot may comprise the data of any number of subclients and/or clients in the storage management system. Accordingly, one unified-snapshot job may yield a minimum but sufficient number of snapshots comprising data of all subclients associated with the governing unified-snapshot storage policy. An enhanced storage manager may manage the unified-snapshot jobs.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for storing a variable number of instances of data objects (e.g., 1, 2, 3, or up to N?1 instances, where N is the number of instances of the data object included in primary data) in secondary storage across a data storage network. In some examples, a system for storing a variable number of instances of data objects includes, one or more computing devices storing a set of data objects and multiple storage devices distinct from the one or more computing devices. Each of the multiple storage devices is configured to store at least a single instance of a data object. The system also includes a database configured to store information associated with the data objects. This information includes substantially unique identifiers for the data objects and, for each of the data objects, a number of instances of the data object stored on the multiple storage devices.

Abstract: A scalable approach is disclosed for processing auxiliary-copy jobs in a storage management system by using distributed media agent resources instead of a centralized storage manager. Enhanced media agents coordinate and control auxiliary-copy jobs and tap the storage manager to reserve data streams and provide job-specific metadata on demand. An enhanced storage manager may initially select a media agent as “coordinator” to coordinate auxiliary-copy jobs with any number of other media agents, which act as “controllers.” A coordinator media agent is generally responsible for obtaining data stream reservation information from the storage manager and assigning auxiliary-copy jobs to respective controller media agents, based on the components involved in the respective reserved data streams.

Abstract: The disclosed techniques that can use deduplication information on a source computer platform to improve the process of performing data backups or restoration from/to the computer platform. In one example aspect, a data backup operation can re-use some of the work already done by a source computer's deduplication system. For example, a storage operation could read a deduplication database on the source computer platform to determine the duplicativeness of a given data chunk being transferred to a backup storage system, without having to perform computations such as data chunk hashing and comparison with previously generated hashes. The technique may additionally or alternatively reuse hashes generated by the source computer during deduplication of the data file on the source computer's file system during deduplication at the external backup storage system.

Abstract: A scalable approach is disclosed for processing auxiliary-copy jobs in a storage management system by using distributed media agent resources instead of a centralized storage manager. Enhanced media agents coordinate and control auxiliary-copy jobs and tap the storage manager to reserve data streams and provide job-specific metadata on demand. An enhanced storage manager may initially select a media agent as “coordinator” to coordinate auxiliary-copy jobs with any number of other media agents, which act as “controllers.” A coordinator media agent is generally responsible for obtaining data stream reservation information from the storage manager and assigning auxiliary-copy jobs to respective controller media agents, based on the components involved in the respective reserved data streams.

Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can implement partial file restore, where only a portion of the secondary copy of a file is restored. Such portion may be designated by one or more application offsets for the file. The system may provide an in-chunk index that includes mapping information between the application offsets and the secondary copy offsets. Chunks may refer to logical data units in which secondary copies are stored, and the in-chunk index for a chunk may be stored in secondary storage with the chunk. Because the mapping information may not be provided at a fixed interval, the system can search through application offsets in the in-chunk index to locate the secondary copy offset corresponding to the portion application offset(s). In this manner, the system may restore the designated portion of the secondary copy in a fast and efficient manner by using the in-chunk index.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for performing storage operations on electronic data in a network. In response to the initiation of a storage operation and according to a first set of selection logic, a media management component is selected to manage the storage operation. In response to the initiation of a storage operation and according to a second set of selection logic, a network storage device to associate with the storage operation. The selected media management component and the selected network storage device perform the storage operation on the electronic data.

Abstract: An information management system provides a data deduplication system that uses a primary table, a deduplication chunk table, and a chunk integrity table to ensure that a referenced deduplicated data block is only verified once during the data verification of a backup or other replication operation. The data deduplication system may reduce the computational and storage overhead associated with traditional data verification processes. The primary table, the deduplication chunk table, and the chunk integrity table, all of which are stored in a deduplication database, can also ensure synchronization between the deduplication database and secondary storage devices.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, an information management system may instruct a first secondary storage computing device in a set of secondary storage computing devices to initiate a restore of a first group of a plurality of files from a first storage device associated with the first secondary storage computing device, the first group including a first file. The computing system may instruct a second secondary storage computing device in the set to initiate a restore a second group of the plurality of files from a second storage device associated with the second secondary storage computing device, the second group including the first file. The computing system can, upon receiving notification that the restore of the first file from the first storage device has completed prior to completion of the restore of the first file from the second storage device, cancel restoration of the first file from the second storage device.

Abstract: A data storage environment can include a secondary storage computing device that acts as a proxy for other secondary storage computing devices. For example, the secondary storage computing device receives a storage operation request from one or more of the other secondary storage computing devices, such as a request to create a snapshot of client data. The secondary storage computing device generally acts as an intermediary between the other secondary storage computing devices and the storage device to carry out the snapshots or other storage operations. The secondary storage computing device may further receive a notification upon completion of the storage operations, and transmit relevant data to the requesting secondary storage computing device regarding the storage operation.

Abstract: An illustrative approach to managing snapshots streamlines how and when snapshots are generated in a storage management system, such that fewer snapshots may be generated without diminishing the scope of data protection. A novel unified-snapshot storage policy may govern snapshots for any number of subclients. A unified-snapshot job based on the unified-snapshot storage policy enables the illustrative storage management system to automatically discover relevant components and generate at most one snapshot per target logical unit number (“LUN”) in a storage array. Each snapshot may comprise the data of any number of subclients and/or clients in the storage management system. Accordingly, one unified-snapshot job may yield a minimum but sufficient number of snapshots comprising data of all subclients associated with the governing unified-snapshot storage policy. An enhanced storage manager may manage the unified-snapshot jobs.

Abstract: The library server according to certain aspects can manage the use of tape drives according to the data requirements of different storage operation cells. The library server according to certain aspects can also facilitate automatic management of tape media in a tape library by allocating the tapes and slots to different cells. For instance, the library server can manage the positioning and placement of the tapes into appropriate slots within the tape library.

Abstract: A scalable approach is disclosed for processing auxiliary-copy jobs in a storage management system by using distributed media agent resources instead of a centralized storage manager. Enhanced media agents coordinate and control auxiliary-copy jobs and tap the storage manager to reserve data streams and provide job-specific metadata on demand. An enhanced storage manager may initially select a media agent as “coordinator” to coordinate auxiliary-copy jobs with any number of other media agents, which act as “controllers.” A coordinator media agent is generally responsible for obtaining data stream reservation information from the storage manager and assigning auxiliary-copy jobs to respective controller media agents, based on the components involved in the respective reserved data streams.

Abstract: A content alignment system according to certain embodiments aligns a sliding window at the beginning of a data segment. The content alignment system performs a block alignment function on the data within the sliding window. A deduplication block is established if the output of the block alignment function meets a predetermined criteria. At least part of a gap is established if the output of the block alignment function does not meet the predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria is changed if a threshold number of outputs fail to meet the predetermined criteria.

Abstract: A distributed, deduplicated storage system according to certain embodiments is arranged in a parallel configuration including multiple deduplication nodes. Deduplicated data is distributed across the deduplication nodes. The deduplication nodes can be networked together and communicate with one another according using a light-weight, customized communication scheme (e.g., a scheme based on FTP or HTTP). In some cases, deduplication management information including deduplication signatures and/or other metadata is stored separately from the deduplicated data in deduplication management nodes, improving performance and scalability.

Abstract: A scalable approach is disclosed for processing auxiliary-copy jobs in a storage management system by using distributed media agent resources instead of a centralized storage manager. Enhanced media agents coordinate and control auxiliary-copy jobs and tap the storage manager to reserve data streams and provide job-specific metadata on demand. An enhanced storage manager may initially select a media agent as “coordinator” to coordinate auxiliary-copy jobs with any number of other media agents, which act as “controllers.” A coordinator media agent is generally responsible for obtaining data stream reservation information from the storage manager and assigning auxiliary-copy jobs to respective controller media agents, based on the components involved in the respective reserved data streams.

Abstract: An information management system according to certain aspects may determine whether snapshot operations will work prior to executing them. The system may check various factors or parameters relating to a snapshot storage policy to verify whether the storage policy will work at runtime without actually executing the policy. Some examples of factors can include: availability of primary storage devices for which a snapshot should be obtained, availability of secondary storage devices, license availability for snapshot software, user credentials for connecting to primary and/or second storage devices, available storage capacity, connectivity to storage devices, etc. The system may also check whether a particular system configuration is supported in connection with snapshot operations. The result of the determination can be provided in the form of a report summarizing any problems found with the snapshot storage policy.

Abstract: An information management system according to certain aspects allows users to share a portion of a file (e.g., a document) stored in secondary storage. The user may specify a portion of a secondary storage file to share and send a link to the portion to another user. The other user can access the shared portion from the link, and just the shared portion may be restored from secondary storage. The system according to certain aspects provides a native view of secondary storage data on a client computing device. The index data and/or metadata relating to secondary storage data may be stored in native application format for access via the native source application.

Abstract: A system according to certain aspects may include a secondary storage controller computer configured to: in response to a first instruction to obtain a first secondary copy of a first data set from a secondary storage device(s), the first instruction associated with a first restore operation: instantiate a first restore thread on a processor of the secondary storage controller computer; using the first restore thread, retrieve the first secondary copy from the secondary storage device(s); and forward the retrieved first secondary copy to a primary storage subsystem for storage; and in response to a second instruction to obtain a second secondary copy of a second data set from the secondary storage device(s), the second instruction associated with a second restore operation: using the first restore thread, retrieve the second secondary copy from the secondary storage device(s); and forward the retrieved second secondary copy to the primary storage subsystem for storage.

Abstract: Multiple data paths may be available to a data management system for transferring data between a primary storage device and a secondary storage device. The data management system may be able to gain operational advantages by performing load balancing across the multiple data paths. The system may use application layer characteristics of the data for transferring from a primary storage to a backup storage during data backup operation, and correspondingly from a secondary or backup storage system to a primary storage system during restoration.