Abstract: According to certain aspects, a client computing system can be configured to map stored database data into a plurality of second data units having a second level of granularity larger than first data units; store a mapping of the second data units to the first data units; monitor writes to the database data by the database application; identify of the writes changed first data units of the first data units which have changed as a result of the writes; use the mapping to identify changed second data units of the second data units which each include at least one of the changed first data units; maintain a table listing the changed second data units; and in response to instructions to create a secondary copy of the database data, consult the table to identify the changed second data units, and forward the changed second data units to secondary storage controller computer(s).

Abstract: An illustrative “open archive” architecture relieves the immediate need to add network-attached storage (NAS) devices to a storage management system. The open archive architecture provides streamlined access to live 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 that operates 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, e.g., open calls, read calls, write calls. The intercepted calls are reported to the open-archive server for analysis.

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: 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: According to certain aspects, a method of creating customized bootable images for client computing devices in an information management system can include: creating a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, including a first client computing device; subsequent to receiving a request to restore the first client computing device to the state at a first time, creating a customized bootable image that is configured to directly restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time, wherein the customized bootable image includes system state specific to the first client computing device at the first time and one or more drivers associated with hardware existing at time of restore on a computing device to be rebooted; and rebooting the computing device to the state of the first client computing device at the first time from the customized bootable image.

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: A data storage system according to certain aspects can archive database data associated with different database applications. The data storage system according to certain aspects may provide database archiving modules that include logic incorporating and/or based on the native schema and/or native commands specific to particular database applications. The database archiving modules according to certain aspects may determine the relationship between tables associated with corresponding database applications and archive selected database data based on the native schema and native commands.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a generic snapshot interface, allowing for integration with a wide variety of snapshot-capable storage devices. The generic interface can be a programming interface (e.g., an application programming interface [API]). Using the snapshot interface, storage device vendors can integrate their particular snapshot technology with the data storage system. For instance, the data storage system can access a shared library of functions (e.g., a dynamically linked library [DLL]) provided by the vendor (or another by appropriate entity) and that complies with the specifications of the common programming interface. And by invoking the appropriate functions in the library, the data storage system implements the snapshot operation on the storage device.

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: 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: 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 method of creating customized bootable images for client computing devices in an information management system can include: creating a backup copy of each of a plurality of client computing devices, including a first client computing device; subsequent to receiving a request to restore the first client computing device to the state at a first time, creating a customized bootable image that is configured to directly restore the first client computing device to the state at the first time, wherein the customized bootable image includes system state specific to the first client computing device at the first time and one or more drivers associated with hardware existing at time of restore on a computing device to be rebooted; and rebooting the computing device to the state of the first client computing device at the first time from the customized bootable image.

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: 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.

Abstract: A system according to certain aspects improves the process of performing data protection operations (e.g., creating backup copies in a secondary storage device). The system can generate network path information based on client information associated with client computing devices (e.g., application type, data type, client device ID, etc.) and process requests to perform data protection operations based on the network path information specified in the requests. For example, the system may use the specified network path information to determine the data types of the primary data stored on the client computing devices and store backup copies of the primary data at the location indicated by the network path information.

Abstract: In certain systems disclosed herein, a distributed data monitoring and management system is provided that can replicate a distributed storage environment. The distributed data monitoring and management system can intelligently and automatically configure data access nodes to form a structure that matches the distributed storage environment. By matching the structure of the distributed storage environment, the distributed structure of the data may be maintained, enabling the data to be backed up from and/or restored to the distributed storage environment and/or migrated to another distributed storage environment without altering the distribution of the data. Further, embodiments herein enable the monitoring of nodes within the system and transfer of data from a non-distributed environment to a distributed storage environment. Thus, in some cases, an entity can migrate data from a local storage structure to a network-based distributed storage structure.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods enable a virtual machine, including any applications executing thereon, to quickly start executing and servicing users based on pre-staged data blocks supplied from a backup copy in secondary storage. Substantially concurrently with the ongoing execution of the virtual machine, a virtual-machine-file-relocation operation may move data blocks originating in the backup copy to a primary storage destination that becomes the virtual machine's primary data store after the relocation operation completes. An enhanced data agent, operating in conjunction with an enhanced media agent in a storage management system, coordinates restoring of the virtual machine and the launch of the relocation operation. The enhanced media agent may pre-stage certain backed up data blocks which may be needed to launch the virtual machine, based on predictive analysis pertaining to the virtual machine's operational profile.

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: Systems and methods enable a virtual machine, including applications executing thereon, to quickly start executing and servicing users based on pre-staged data blocks supplied from a backup copy in secondary storage. Substantially concurrently with the ongoing execution of the virtual machine, a virtual-machine-file-relocation operation moves data blocks from backup to a primary storage destination that becomes the virtual machine's primary data store after relocation completes. An enhanced data agent, operating in conjunction with an enhanced media agent in a storage management system, coordinates restoring the virtual machine and launching the relocation operation. The enhanced media agent pre-stages certain backed up data blocks based on predictive analysis pertaining to the virtual machine's operational profile. The enhanced media agent also pre-stages backed up data blocks for the relocation operation, based on the operation's relocation scheme.

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.