Abstract: Because Kubernetes clusters can be ephemeral, backing up in-cluster data to storage outside the cluster is important. Prior art solutions used the cluster's API server, which facilitates communications with the cluster control plane, to transfer backup data through the API server. However, the API server as a data transfer node has resiliency weaknesses and can slow down backup job performance. The present solution provides a more streamlined and scalable approach, which circumvents the API server and additionally includes more robust error checking, log capture, and realtime job monitoring to provide improved data protection resilience. The disclosed approach employs a “sponsor” data agent outside the cluster and temporarily deploys a specialized backup resource within the cluster during a backup job, such as an enhanced File System Data Agent and/or a lightweight Kubernetes File Client, both of which present substantial performance and resiliency advantages over the API server.

Abstract: Ransomware detection accuracy is improved by analyzing patterns of changes in filename extension counts, relative to each other, that occur in a file system over time. The disclosed approach is malware-agnostic and does not rely on recognizing malware extensions or on real-time monitoring of the target file system. Instead, during each successive backup job of the target file system, the disclosed technology counts different types of filename extensions and compares the counts to each other and to corresponding counts taken in earlier backup jobs. Preferably, the anomaly detection analysis uses machine learning to discern a behavior pattern of the file system, which indicates how filename extensions are distributed and how much they change between backup jobs over time.

Abstract: Ransomware detection accuracy is improved by analyzing patterns of changes in filename extension counts, relative to each other, that occur in a file system over time. The disclosed approach is malware-agnostic and does not rely on recognizing malware extensions or on real-time monitoring of the target file system. Instead, during each successive backup job of the target file system, the disclosed technology counts different types of filename extensions and compares the counts to each other and to corresponding counts taken in earlier backup jobs. Preferably, the anomaly detection analysis uses machine learning to discern a behavior pattern of the file system, which indicates how filename extensions are distributed and how much they change between backup jobs over time.

Abstract: Ransomware detection accuracy is improved by analyzing patterns of changes in filename extension counts, relative to each other, that occur in a file system over time. The disclosed approach is malware-agnostic and does not rely on recognizing malware extensions or on real-time monitoring of the target file system. Instead, during each successive backup job of the target file system, the disclosed technology counts different types of filename extensions and compares the counts to each other and to corresponding counts taken in earlier backup jobs. Preferably, the anomaly detection analysis uses machine learning to discern a behavior pattern of the file system, which indicates how filename extensions are distributed and how much they change between backup jobs over time.

Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

Abstract: Because Kubernetes clusters can be ephemeral, backing up in-cluster data to storage outside the cluster is important. Prior art solutions used the cluster's API server, which facilitates communications with the cluster control plane, to transfer backup data through the API server. However, the API server as a data transfer node has resiliency weaknesses and can slow down backup job performance. The present solution provides a more streamlined and scalable approach, which circumvents the API server and additionally includes more robust error checking, log capture, and realtime job monitoring to provide improved data protection resilience. The disclosed approach employs a “sponsor” data agent outside the cluster and temporarily deploys a specialized backup resource within the cluster during a backup job, such as an enhanced File System Data Agent and/or a lightweight Kubernetes File Client, both of which present substantial performance and resiliency advantages over the API server.

Abstract: Because Kubernetes clusters can be ephemeral, backing up in-cluster data to storage outside the cluster is important. Prior art solutions used the cluster's API server, which facilitates communications with the cluster control plane, to transfer backup data through the API server. However, the API server as a data transfer node has resiliency weaknesses and can slow down backup job performance. The present solution provides a more streamlined and scalable approach, which circumvents the API server and additionally includes more robust error checking, log capture, and realtime job monitoring to provide improved data protection resilience. The disclosed approach employs a “sponsor” data agent outside the cluster and temporarily deploys a specialized backup resource within the cluster during a backup job, such as a lightweight Kubernetes File Client and/or an enhanced File System Data Agent, both of which present substantial performance and resiliency advantages over the API server.

Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

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: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

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: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

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: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

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: Certain embodiments disclosed herein reduce or eliminate a communication bottleneck at the storage manager by reducing communication with the storage manager while maintaining functionality of an information management system. In some implementations, a client obtains information for enabling a secondary storage job (e.g., a backup or restore) from a storage manager and stores the information (which may be referred to as job metadata) in a local cache. The client may then reuse the job metadata for multiple storage jobs reducing the frequency of communication with the storage manager. When a configuration of the information management system changes, or the availability of resources changes, the storage manager can push updates to the job metadata to the clients. Further, a client can periodically request updated job metadata from the storage manager ensuring that the client does not rely on out-of-date job metadata.

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.