Abstract: An illustrative pseudo-file-system driver uses deduplication functionality and resources in a storage management system to provide an application and/or a virtual machine with access to a locally-stored file system. From the perspective of the application/virtual machine, the file system appears to be of virtually unlimited capacity. The pseudo-file-system driver instantiates the file system in primary storage, e.g., configured on a local disk. The application/virtual machine requires no configured settings or limits for the file system's storage capacity and may thus treat the file system as “infinite.” The pseudo-file-system driver intercepts write requests and may use the deduplication infrastructure in the storage management system to offload excess data from local primary storage to deduplicated secondary storage, based on a deduplication database.

Abstract: Software, firmware, and systems are described herein that migrate functionality of a source physical computing device to a destination physical computing device. A non-production copy of data associated with a source physical computing device is created. A configuration of the source physical computing device is determined. A configuration for a destination physical computing device is determined based at least in part on the configuration of the source physical computing device. The destination physical computing device is provided access to data and metadata associated with the source physical computing device using the non-production copy of data associated with the source physical computing device.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a system may include a data agent configured to: process a database file residing on a primary storage device(s) to identify a subset of data in the database file for archiving, the database file generated by a database application; and extract the subset of the data from the database file and store the subset of the data in an archive file on the primary storage device(s) as a plurality of blocks having a common size; and at least one secondary storage controller computer configured to, as part of a secondary copy operation in which the archive file is copied to a secondary storage device(s): copy the plurality of blocks to the secondary storage devices to create a secondary copy of the archive file; and create a table that provides a mapping between the copied plurality of blocks and corresponding locations in the secondary storage device(s).

Abstract: A data storage system according to certain aspects can share a single snapshot for multiple applications and/or agents. For example, the data storage system can receive snapshot commands from multiple applications and/or agents, and can group them for a single snapshot (e.g., based on time of receipt of the snapshot commands). Data associated with the multiple applications and/or agents may reside on a single LUN or volume. The data storage system can take a single snapshot of the LUN or volume, and generate metadata regarding which portion of the snapshot is related to which application. The single snapshot can be stored in one or more secondary storage devices. The single snapshot may be partitioned into portions relating to different applications and stored separately.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a system may include a data agent configured to: process a database file residing on a primary storage device(s) to identify a subset of data in the database file for archiving, the database file generated by a database application; and extract the subset of the data from the database file and store the subset of the data in an archive file on the primary storage device(s) as a plurality of blocks having a common size; and at least one secondary storage controller computer configured to, as part of a secondary copy operation in which the archive file is copied to a secondary storage device(s): copy the plurality of blocks to the secondary storage devices to create a secondary copy of the archive file; and create a table that provides a mapping between the copied plurality of blocks and corresponding locations in the secondary storage device(s).

Abstract: The data storage system according to certain aspects can implement table level database restore. Table level database restore may refer to restoring a database table and its related data without restoring the entire database. The data storage system may use table metadata index to implement table level restore. A table metadata index may be created for each table, e.g., during a backup of the database. The table metadata index for a table can include any type of information for restoring the table and its related data. Some examples of the type of information included in the table metadata index include the following: container for the table, table backup location, system data, table index, table relationships, etc. Table metadata index can make the restoring of tables fast and efficient by packaging information that can be used to restore a table and its related data in an easily accessible manner.

Abstract: Software, firmware, and systems are described herein that migrate functionality of a source physical computing device to a destination virtual machine. A non-production copy of data associated with a source physical computing device is created. A configuration of the source physical computing device is determined. A configuration for a destination virtual machine is determined based at least in part on the configuration of the source physical computing device. The destination virtual machine is provided access to data and metadata associated with the source physical computing device using the non-production copy of data associated with the source physical computing device.

Abstract: The illustrative storage management system uses snapshot technologies and performs block-level analysis thereof and to synthesize full backups of a database, regardless of the database management system (DBMS) and content of the database and without involving native DBMS utilities. Synthetic full copies are created efficiently and use network transport resources sparingly. Successive snapshots of the database may be hardware snapshots and/or software snapshots. The illustrative storage management system tracks which data blocks in the database change over time after a baseline full copy is saved to secondary storage. Only the changed blocks are subsequently moved to secondary storage as incremental backups and are indexed for future reference. A synthetic full backup of the database, at a given point in time, may be created by synthesizing the original full backup with changed blocks from any number of later incremental backups.

Abstract: A system according to certain aspects improves the process of data restoration and application recovery operations. The system can back up primary data based on network path information associated with a client computing device. When the primary data becomes corrupted or unavailable, a previously backed up copy of the primary data may be used as the primary data to achieve instant application recovery. For example, when a portion of the primary data is requested by a user or an application, the system may identify a corresponding portion in the backed up copy of the primary data and provide the identified portion to the user or the application in a manner transparent to the user or the application. Alternatively, the application running on the client computing device may send a request for the backup copy of the primary data to the secondary storage device upon determining that the requested data is not available.

Abstract: The systems and methods provide for migrating database management system (DBMS) applications to cloud storage by automating a continuous replication of changes made to the DBMS from the DBMS to an associated cloud instance. For example, the systems and methods facilitate the migration of the DBMS via multiple processes performing in parallel—a process to create and provision a new machine instance (e.g., an EC2 instance), a process to clone and transfer parameters of the operating system/software of the DBMS, and a process that backs up and/or captures the application data of the DBMS. In some embodiments, the systems and methods, utilizing parallel processes, and combining outputs of the processes to a synchronization process, efficiently and quickly migrate DBMS applications to cloud storage, among other benefits.

Abstract: A log monitoring system uses log monitoring rules to monitor log data generated by applications executing on a client computing device. By monitoring log data, the system detects that one or more triggering events have occurred on the client computing device. In response, the log monitoring system can perform one or more appropriate remedial actions. Additionally, in response to the detected event(s), the log monitoring system can extract a select subset of relevant data from the client and transmit the subset of data to a separate repository for storage and/or processing.

Abstract: An illustrative “open archive” architecture provides streamlined access to production data, which originally was stored on a NAS device but which is archived to secondary storage to free up NAS space. An open-archive server coordinates with an open-archive layer on the NAS device. The open-archive server identifies data sets on the NAS that meet archiving criteria, which are then automatically moved to an open archive in secondary storage. The open archive layer intercepts data-access calls coming into the NAS device, and reports the intercepted calls to the open-archive server. If the open-archive server determines that the data referenced in an intercepted call is in the open archive, the server initiates a restore job that recovers the data from secondary storage and stores it back on the NAS device. The intercepted call may now be served from the NAS. These operations occur automatically and without data agents for the NAS-based data.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling user search of content stored in a file archive include providing a search interface comprising a search rules portion and an action rules portion, receiving a file archive search criterion comprising at least one search rule, and searching the file archive using the search criterion. The techniques also include generating a set of files filtered using the search criterion and performing an action specified in the action rules portion on a file included in the set of files.

Abstract: Expandable cache management dynamically manages cache storage for multiple network shares configured in a file server. Once a file is written to a directory or folder on a specially designated network share, such as one that is configured for “infinite backup,” an intermediary pre-backup copy of the file is created in an expandable cache in the file server that hosts the network share. On write operations, cache storage space can be dynamically expanded or freed up by pruning previously backed up data. This advantageously creates flexible storage caches in the file server for each network share, each cache managed independently of other like caches for other network shares on the same file server. On read operations, intermediary file storage in the expandable cache gives client computing devices speedy access to data targeted for backup, which is generally quicker than restoring files from backed up secondary copies.

Abstract: During a data protection operation, a data storage system can collect computing attributes associated with hosting of an application generating data being backed up and may also obtain information relating to physical characteristics of the computing device hosting the application and the data. At the time of migration to a cloud, the system can use the collected attributes and/or information to provision cloud resources. For instance, the cloud storage system may accept provisioning requests, and may provide several templates which each specify a cloud resource that can be provisioned upon request, such as a cloud computing resource. The system can compare the collected attributes with the attributes of the available templates to determine the best match. Then, the system can issue a provisioning request to the cloud provider according to the best-matched template. After provisioning the resources, the system can restore backup data of the application to the cloud storage system to migrate the data.

Abstract: Presented herein are systems and methods for backing up and restoring data from a client computing system to a provider's virtual tape library using a proxy. The proxy emulates a physical tape library that interfaces with a client's system and allowing the use of client's native tape backup commands to initiate the backup data process. The backup data is transferred into files that represent tapes in the proxy and further processed into extents in the provider's object store. The processed backup data is stored in the local cache in the object store where it is retained for future access. The backup data may also be transferred to long-term storage via a media agent that facilitate movement of the data from the local cache to secondary storage. The present disclosure also provides for creating auxiliary copies of the backed-up data using a second VTL at a second site.

Abstract: A data storage system allows a user to search a secondary copy such as a back up, archive, or snapshot and receive an abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system as a result of the search. The abbreviated version of the secondary copy of the file system may include metadata such as a listing of secondary copy data that correspond with a search term or other filtering criteria provided by the user. An operating system of the user's computing device may mount the abbreviated version so that it can be displayed within a view of the file system of the computing device. Once a user selects one or more desired data objects listed in the abbreviated version, the selected actual one or more data objects are retrieved from secondary storage.

Abstract: According to certain aspects, a system may include a computing device configured to: intercept a request from a database application to read a portion of a database file, where a secondary copy of the database file resides on a secondary storage device(s) and is organized as a plurality of first blocks, wherein the request includes a database file offset(s) corresponding to the requested portion; and map the database file offset(s) to a subset of the first blocks that correspond to requested database object(s). The system may include a secondary storage controller computer(s) configured to: access a table that maps the plurality of first blocks to storage locations on the secondary storage device(s); using the table, locate and retrieve the subset of the first blocks on the secondary storage device(s); and forward the retrieved first blocks for storage in a primary storage device(s).

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods enable an application to start operating and servicing users soon after and during the course of its backup data being restored, no matter how long the restore may take. This is referred to as “instant application recovery” in view of the fact that the application may be put back in service soon after the restore operation begins. Any primary data generated by the application during “instant application recovery” is not only retained, but is efficiently updated into restored data. An enhanced data agent and an associated pseudo-storage-device driver, which execute on the same client computing device as the application, enable the application to operate substantially concurrently with a full restore of backed up data.

Abstract: Container images may be generated from a backup system that includes a backup of one or more applications from a computing system of an entity. During a backup process, an application can be identified and its storage location in a secondary storage can be tracked or saved in a backup index. Configuration information and data or files created by user interaction with the application can be backed up and the location of the backed up data or files may be stored in the backup index along with the location of the configuration information. Using the backup index, a container image can be created that includes a selected application, its configuration information, and data, if any, created by the application. The container image can be generated from the backup stored in the secondary storage.