Abstract: Illustrative systems and methods enable a virtual machine (“VM”) to be powered up at any hypervisor regardless of hypervisor type, based on live-mounting VM data that was originally backed up into a hypervisor-independent format by a block-level backup operation. Afterwards, the backed up VM executes anywhere anytime without needing to find a hypervisor that is the same as or compatible with the original source VM's hypervisor. The backed up VM payload data is rendered portable to any virtualized platform. Thus, a VM can be powered up at one or more test stations, data center or cloud recovery environments, and/or backup appliances, without the prior-art limitations of finding a same/compatible hypervisor for accessing and using backed up VM data. An illustrative media agent maintains cache storage that acts as a way station for data blocks retrieved from an original backup copy, and stores data blocks written by the live-mounted VM.

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: 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: An improved information management system is described herein that provides on-demand or live mount access to virtual machine data in a secondary copy format. For example, instead of restoring all of the virtual machine data in the secondary copy format to a virtual disk that is then mounted to a virtual machine, the improved information management system can, in response to request to access virtual machine data in a secondary copy format, create a virtual disk having a universal network component (UNC) path and create a virtual machine configured to access data via the UNC path. Once created and booted, the administrator or user can attempt to access the desired virtual machine data via the virtual machine.

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: 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: Illustrative systems and methods enable a virtual machine (“VM”) to be powered up at any hypervisor regardless of hypervisor type, based on live-mounting VM data that was originally backed up into a hypervisor-independent format by a block-level backup operation. Afterwards, the backed up VM executes anywhere anytime without needing to find a hypervisor that is the same as or compatible with the original source VM's hypervisor. The backed up VM payload data is rendered portable to any virtualized platform. Thus, a VM can be powered up at one or more test stations, data center or cloud recovery environments, and/or backup appliances, without the prior-art limitations of finding a same/compatible hypervisor for accessing and using backed up VM data. An illustrative media agent maintains cache storage that acts as a way station for data blocks retrieved from an original backup copy, and stores data blocks written by the live-mounted VM.

Abstract: An improved information management system is described herein that provides on-demand or live mount access to virtual machine data in a secondary copy format. For example, instead of restoring all of the virtual machine data in the secondary copy format to a virtual disk that is then mounted to a virtual machine, the improved information management system can, in response to request to access virtual machine data in a secondary copy format, create a virtual disk having a universal network component (UNC) path and create a virtual machine configured to access data via the UNC path. Once created and booted, the administrator or user can attempt to access the desired virtual machine data via the virtual machine.

Abstract: An improved information management system is described herein that provides on-demand or live mount access to virtual machine data in a secondary copy format. For example, instead of restoring all of the virtual machine data in the secondary copy format to a virtual disk that is then mounted to a virtual machine, the improved information management system can, in response to request to access virtual machine data in a secondary copy format, create a virtual disk having a universal network component (UNC) path and create a virtual machine configured to access data via the UNC path. Once created and booted, the administrator or user can attempt to access the desired virtual machine data via the virtual machine.

Abstract: Illustrative systems and methods enable a virtual machine (“VM”) to be powered up at any hypervisor regardless of hypervisor type, based on live-mounting VM data that was originally backed up into a hypervisor-independent format by a block-level backup operation. Afterwards, the backed up VM executes anywhere anytime without needing to find a hypervisor that is the same as or compatible with the original source VM's hypervisor. The backed up VM payload data is rendered portable to any virtualized platform. Thus, a VM can be powered up at one or more test stations, data center or cloud recovery environments, and/or backup appliances, without the prior-art limitations of finding a same/compatible hypervisor for accessing and using backed up VM data. An illustrative media agent maintains cache storage that acts as a way station for data blocks retrieved from an original backup copy, and stores data blocks written by the live-mounted VM.

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: An improved information management system is described herein that provides on-demand or live mount access to virtual machine data in a secondary copy format. For example, instead of restoring all of the virtual machine data in the secondary copy format to a virtual disk that is then mounted to a virtual machine, the improved information management system can, in response to request to access virtual machine data in a secondary copy format, create a virtual disk having a universal network component (UNC) path and create a virtual machine configured to access data via the UNC path. Once created and booted, the administrator or user can attempt to access the desired virtual machine data via the virtual machine.

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: 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: Illustrative systems and methods enable a virtual machine (“VM”) to be powered up at any hypervisor regardless of hypervisor type, based on live-mounting VM data that was originally backed up into a hypervisor-independent format by a block-level backup operation. Afterwards, the backed up VM executes anywhere anytime without needing to find a hypervisor that is the same as or compatible with the original source VM's hypervisor. The backed up VM payload data is rendered portable to any virtualized platform. Thus, a VM can be powered up at one or more test stations, data center or cloud recovery environments, and/or backup appliances, without the prior-art limitations of finding a same/compatible hypervisor for accessing and using backed up VM data. An illustrative media agent maintains cache storage that acts as a way station for data blocks retrieved from an original backup copy, and stores data blocks written by the live-mounted VM.

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: Illustrative systems and methods enable a virtual machine (“VM”) to be powered up at any hypervisor regardless of hypervisor type, based on live-mounting VM data that was originally backed up into a hypervisor-independent format by a block-level backup operation. Afterwards, the backed up VM executes anywhere anytime without needing to find a hypervisor that is the same as or compatible with the original source VM's hypervisor. The backed up VM payload data is rendered portable to any virtualized platform. Thus, a VM can be powered up at one or more test stations, data center or cloud recovery environments, and/or backup appliances, without the prior-art limitations of finding a same/compatible hypervisor for accessing and using backed up VM data. An illustrative media agent maintains cache storage that acts as a way station for data blocks retrieved from an original backup copy, and stores data blocks written by the live-mounted VM.

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.