Invented by Sri Karthik Bhagi, Sunil GUTTA, Henry Wallace Dornemann, Rahul S. Pawar, Commvault Systems Inc
The Commvault Systems Inc invention works as follows
Embodiments” disclosed herein comprise systems and processes that replicate one or more computing systems for users of an information system on an external resource system in order to create a fallback or backup of the computing systems. The replicating of user computing systems can include data, applications, operating system and configuration. This replicated or fallback user computer system can be implemented in a virtual machine on the external resource system. If a user computer system is no longer accessible, a backup copy can be used to create a new one. In some embodiments, a copy of the user computer system can be manipulated at the external system. “Some embodiments described herein may be used to transfer an information management system from an internal resource system to another external resource system.
Background for External Dynamic Virtual Machine Synchronization
Businesses recognize the commercial value and look for cost-effective, reliable ways to safeguard the data stored on their computers networks. This will minimize the impact on productivity. As part of its daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance program, a company may back up important computing systems like databases, file servers or web servers. A company might also protect the computing systems of its employees, such those used by marketing departments, accounting departments, engineering departments, and so on. Companies continue to look for innovative ways to manage data growth due to the ever-growing volume of data under their control. This includes migrating data to cheaper storage over time, reducing redundant information, pruning lower priority data, and so on. Companies increasingly see their stored data as an asset and seek solutions to leverage it. Data analysis, information management, enhanced data presentation and access, and other such capabilities are becoming more in demand.
It’s often desirable for a company to create a data archive or backup. While backing up data can be beneficial, it is not always enough to maintain data or system accessibility. For example, a number of systems that are used to access data could become unavailable. If a computing system becomes unavailable, it may take some time to fix the system or provision a replacement system. Some users may be unable to repair an inaccessible computer system or configure a brand new system. This can further delay the data access process until someone with the right skillset becomes available. If, for example, an employee who is not technically minded works after hours and a server goes down, that employee may have to wait until next day to get an IT administrator to configure a new system.
A fallback system can be created at an external system to eliminate or reduce downtimes or periods of unavailability of data within an information management system. This could be a cloud storage system or cloud resource system. The external resource system, which is typically maintained by a separate data center from the information management system, is usually located in a different location. Even if all data in the information management system is no longer accessible, the external resource system can still provide access to the data.
Embodiments” disclosed herein comprise systems and processes of replicating one of more user computing system of an information system on the external resource system in order to create a fallback or backup of the user computing system. The replicating of user computing systems can include data, applications, operating system and configuration. This replicated or fallback user computer system can be implemented in a virtual machine on the external resource system. If a user computer system is no longer accessible, a backup copy can be used to create a new one. In some embodiments, a copy of the user computer system can be interacted at the external system. “Some embodiments described herein may be used to transfer an information management system from an internal resource system.
Further systems and processes disclosed can synchronize an external resource system backup copy with a user computing device. So, the changes made to the user computer system can be replicated and captured at the external system. By synchronizing the user computer system with the virtual system at the external system, the user computer system can be recreated without much data loss. The user computing systems can also be provisioned quickly by non-technical users by using the systems described herein.
The section on Example Embodiments and the section External Fallback System provide detailed descriptions and examples for systems and methods that are based on one or more embodiments of this invention. 3-8 herein. Further, components and functionality that generate, synchronize, and restore systems from an external system of elements of an Information Management System may be configured or incorporated into the information management systems described in FIGS. “1A-1H” and “2A-2C”.
Computer technology is integral to the various embodiments described in this document. They would not exist without it. “Generating a fallback of an information system described in various embodiments could not be done by humans without the computer technology on which they are implemented.
Information Management System Overview
Organizations cannot afford to lose critical data due to the importance of protecting and leveraging their data. Protecting and managing data is becoming more difficult due to runaway data growth, and other modern realities. It is imperative to find efficient, powerful and user-friendly ways to manage and protect data as well as smart, efficient storage management. Depending on how large an organization is, there might be multiple data production sources that fall under the control of many individuals. Individuals were responsible for protecting and managing their data in the past. There may have been a variety of software and hardware solutions used within any organization. These solutions were often offered by different vendors and did not have interoperability. These and other limitations are addressed by certain embodiments. They implement scalable, unified information management across the organization, including data storage management.
FIG. “FIG. It generally comprises combinations of hardware, software and hardware that protect and manage metadata and data generated by computing devices in system 100. In some embodiments, System 100 can be called a?storage management software? System 100 may also be referred to as a’storage management system? System 100 performs information management operations. Some of these operations may also be called?storage operations. or data storage operations. To protect and manage data stored in or managed by system 100. System 100 can be used by any organization: a company, other business entity, non profit organization, educational institution or household.
Generally, the systems described herein may be compatible and/or provide some/all of the functionality of one or more U.S patents/publications or patent applications assigned by Commvault Systems, Inc., each which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein.
System 100 can include computing devices and computing technology. System 100, for example, can contain one or more client computing units 102, secondary storage computing devices (106), as well as storage manager 140 and a host computing device. Computer devices can include without limitation one or more of the following: personal computers, workstations, desktop computers, and other types generally fixed computing systems like mainframe computers or servers. Other computing devices include portable or mobile computing devices like laptops, tablets computers, personal information assistants, mobile phones (such a smartphones), and other mobile/portable computing devices such embedded computers, set top boxes or vehicle-mounted devices. Mail servers, file servers and database servers can all be considered servers. A computing device can have one or more processors, such as CPU, single-core, multi-core, or multi-core processors, as well as non-transitory memory (e.g. random-access memory, RAM) that is used to store computer programs that will be executed by one or more processors. Other computer memory that can be used for mass storage may be included in the package/configuration of the computing device (e.g. an internal hard drive) or may be accessible from the outside (e.g. network-attached storage or a storage array). Sometimes, cloud computing resources are included in a computing device, which can be used to create virtual machines. A third-party cloud service provider may provide one or more virtual machines to an organization.
In some instances, computing devices may include one or more virtual machines (or?host machine?). The organization may use the virtual machines. One example is that an organization might use one virtual machine to run its database server and another as a mail server. Both virtual machines can be operated on the same machine. A virtual machine (?VM) is a computer that runs on a virtual host. A virtual machine (?VM?) is a software implementation that is not physically present. Instead, it is instantiated in the operating system of a host computer or physical computer to allow applications to run within the VM’s environment. A virtual machine (VM) includes an operating system, as well as associated virtual resources such computer memory and processors. The hypervisor is responsible for running and creating VMs and acts between the VM’s hardware and the virtual host machine. Hypervisors may also be known as virtual machine monitors, virtual machine managers, or?VMMs’ in the art. They can be implemented in firmware, software, or hardware specialized for the host machine. ESX Server, from VMware, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif., Microsoft Virtual Server, and Microsoft Windows Server Hyper-V, all by Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. Sun xVM, Oracle America Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., and Xen, Citrix Systems, Santa Clara, Calif. are some examples of hypervisors. Each virtual operating system has a hypervisor that provides resources such as a virtual processor and virtual memory. Each virtual machine is associated with one or more virtual disks. The hypervisor stores data from virtual disks on the file system of the physical machine. These files are called virtual machine disk files (VMDK). In VMware lingo, or virtual hard drive image files (in Microsoft terminology). VMware’s ESX Server offers the Virtual Machine File System, (VMFS), for the storage and management of virtual machine disk files. Virtual machines read and write data to their virtual disks in the same way as physical machines. U.S. Pat. outlines some techniques for information management in cloud computing environments. No. 8,285,681. U.S. Pat. explains some techniques for information management in virtualized computing environments. No. 8,307,177.
Information management system 100 may also include electronic data storage devices. These devices are generally used for mass storage, such as primary storage devices (104) and secondary storage devices (108). You can store any type of storage device, including disk drives, storage arrays, network-attached storage technology (NAS), technology), semiconductor memory (e.g. solid state storage devices), network-attached storage technology (NAS), tape libraries or magnetic, non-tape storage, optical media storage devices and DNA/RNA-based memories technology. Some storage devices are part of a distributed data system. Some storage devices can be provided in a cloud storage environment, such as a private cloud, or one managed by a third party vendor, for primary data, secondary copies, or both.
Depending on the context, the term “information management system?” The term “information management system” can be used to refer to all the hardware and software components shown in FIG. 1C or a subset may be used. In some cases, system 100 may refer to a group of components that are used to protect, manage, manipulate and/or process data generated by client computing devices 102. System 100 does not necessarily include the components that create and/or store primary information 112, such the client computing devices (102), and primary storage devices (104). System 100 may also not include secondary storage devices 108, such as a third-party cloud storage environment. For example, what is an?information management? system? Or?storage management? Sometimes, the term storage manager may also refer to one or more components. These will be further described below: data agent, storage manager, and media agent.
One or more client computing units 102 may be part system 100. Each client computing device (102) has an operating system, at least one application 110, and one or two accompanying data agents. It is also associated with one or several primary storage devices (104), which store primary data 112. In some cases, the primary storage subsystem 117 may be used to refer to client computing device(s), 102, and primary storage device(s), 104.
Client Computing Devices and Clients”, and Subclients
Data must be managed and protected from a variety sources within an organization. One example is that corporate environments can include employee workstations as well as company servers, such a mail server or web server, database server, transaction server, and the like. One or more client computing devices (102) are data generation sources in system 100. A client computing device is a computing device with a data agent (142) installed and running on it. It can include any type or computing device. One or more clients computing devices 102 can be associated with user accounts and/or users.
A ?client? “A?client?” is a logical part of information management system 100. It may be a logical grouping or a set of data agents that are installed on a client computing devices 102. Storage manager 140 can recognize a client as part of system 100 and may, in certain embodiments, automatically create a client component when a data agent (142) is installed on a client computer 102. The associated data agent 142 tracks data generated by executable components 110 so it can be properly protected in system 100. A client could be considered to have generated data and stored the generated data to primary storage such as primary storage device (104). The terms “client” and “client computing device” are not interchangeable. and ?client computing device? These terms are not intended to imply that client computing devices 102 and 102 can be configured in the client/server context relative to other computing devices such as mail servers or that client computing devices 102 cannot be considered a server. A client computing device 102 could include file servers, database servers and virtual machine servers.
Each client computing device (102) may have application(s), 110 running thereon that generates and manipulates the data to be protected against loss and managed by system 100. Applications 110 are generally used to support the operation of an organization. They can include file system applications (e.g. Microsoft Exchange Server), mail client applications (e.g. Microsoft Exchange Client), application(s) 110 that generate and manipulate data. An application-specific data agent (142) may accompany each 110 application. However, not all data agents are specific to an application. An application 110 may include a file system such as Microsoft Windows Explorer. It may also be accompanied with its own data agent 142. Client computing devices 102 may have at most one operating system (e.g. Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X iOS, IBM z/OS Linux, or other Unix-based OSs). There may be one or more file system or other applications 110 installed on the device. A virtual machine that runs on a client computing device 102 in some embodiments may be considered to be an application 110. It may also be accompanied by a data agent 142 (e.g. virtual server data agent).
Client computing device 102 can be connected to other components of system 100 via one or more electronic communications pathways 114. A first communication path 114 can communicatively link client computing devices 102 and secondary storage computing devices 106. A second communication pathway, 114, may also communicate with storage manager 140, client computing device 102, and storage device 102. A third communication pathway, 114, may also communicatively link storage manager 140, client computing device 101, and storage device 106. (see, e.g., FIG. 1A and FIG. 1C). 1C. In some cases, communication pathways 114 may also include application programming Interfaces (APIs), such as cloud service provider APIs and virtual machine management APIs. Communication pathways 114’s underlying infrastructure can be wired or wireless, analog or digital, and may include any combination of these facilities.
