Systems and methods for classifying and transferring information in a storage network

Abstract

Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.

1 . A method of accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to access one or more documents;   searching a metabase to locate metadata describing one or more documents satisfying the request based on data classifications stored within the metadata that describe characteristics of the documents;   resolving references in the located metadata to identify one of the one or more data storage devices containing the data, wherein the resolving at least assists in determining which of the more or more data storage devices to access the data from, and wherein the access is at least in part based on a data access criteria; and   providing a signal to access, via the network and in response to the request, the one or more documents at the one or more identified data storage devices.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data storage devices comprise network attached storage, and wherein the providing of the signal to access comprises accessing the network attached storage via an open network protocol designed to permit backups over heterogeneous networks. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the resolving of references determines an availability of the one or more documents at each data storage device, wherein at least one data storage device is magnetic disk, and at least one data storage device is magnetic tape and is less available than the magnetic disk. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metabase is distributed across multiple server systems and the searching of the metabase comprises identifying one or more metabases containing metadata describing documents satisfying the request. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the resolving of references comprises determining which of multiple copies of the document is currently available for access. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the resolving of references comprises determining at least an access time associated with multiple types of data storage devices, and wherein at least one of the data storage devices has an access time that is less than an access time of another data storage device. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one identified data storage device is network attached storage. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data access criteria is based on reducing the impact of the request on a primary data storage device, and wherein the signal to access is provided to a secondary data storage device when the secondary data storage device is available. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data classifications identify a type of data storage media used or identify an aging criteria of stored data. 
   
   
       10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when implemented by one or more computers, perform a method of accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to access one or more documents;   searching a metabase to locate metadata describing one or more documents satisfying the request based on data classifications stored within the metadata that describe characteristics of the documents;   resolving references in the located metadata to identify one of the one or more data storage devices containing the data, wherein the resolving at least assists in determining which of the more or more data storage devices to access the data from, and wherein the access is at least in part based on a data access criteria; and   providing a signal to access, via the network and in response to the request, the one or more documents at the one or more identified data storage devices.   
   
   
       11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the data storage devices comprise network attached storage, and wherein the providing of the signal to access comprises accessing the network attached storage via an open network protocol designed to permit backups over heterogeneous networks. 
   
   
       12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the data access criteria is based on reducing an impact of the request on a primary data storage device, and wherein the signal to access is provided to a secondary data storage device when the secondary data storage device is available. 
   
   
       13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the resolving of references determines an availability of the one or more documents at each data storage device, wherein at least one data storage device is magnetic disk, and at least one data storage device is magnetic tape and is less available than the magnetic disk. 
   
   
       14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the metabase is distributed across multiple server systems and the searching of the metabase comprises identifying one or more metabases containing metadata describing documents satisfying the request. 
   
   
       15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the resolving of references comprises determining which of multiple copies of the document is currently available for access. 
   
   
       16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the resolving of references comprises determining at least an access time associated with multiple types of data storage devices, and wherein at least one of the data storage devices has an access time that is less than an access time of another data storage device. 
   
   
       17 . A method of accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, the method comprising:
 providing a request to access one or more documents, wherein the provided request results in searching a metabase to locate metadata describing one or more documents satisfying the request based on data classifications,
 wherein the data classifications are stored within the metadata, and 
 wherein the data classifications describe characteristics of the documents; and, 
   receiving access to the one or more documents, wherein the access is a result of resolving references in the located metadata to identify one of the one or more data storage devices containing the data,
 wherein the resolving at least assists in determining which of the more or more data storage devices to access the data from, 
 wherein the access is at least in part based on a data access criteria, and 
 wherein the one or more documents are accessed via the network at the one or more identified data storage devices. 
   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the data storage devices comprise network attached storage, and wherein the providing of the signal to access comprises accessing the network attached storage via an open network protocol designed to permit backups over heterogeneous networks. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the resolving of references determines an availability of the one or more documents at each data storage device, wherein at least one data storage device is magnetic disk, and at least one data storage device is magnetic tape and is less available than the magnetic disk. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the metabase is distributed across multiple server systems and the searching of the metabase comprises identifying one or more metabases containing metadata describing documents satisfying the request. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the resolving of references comprises determining at least an access time associated with multiple types of data storage devices, and wherein at least one of the data storage devices has an access time that is less than an access time of another data storage device. 
   
   
       22 . A system for backing up data, comprising:
 a means for managing storage of data;   a means for creating a backup of the stored data;   a means for creating one or more copies of the backup using multiple storage devices; and   a means for storing metadata describing an availability of the backup data from the multiple storage devices, wherein the means for storing metadata includes means for tracking interactions with the backup data by components external to the means for storing metadata;   wherein the means for creating one or more copies of the backup creates a secondary copy from a primary copy of the backup; and   wherein the means for creating one or more copies modifies the backup by performing storage operations on the backup before creating the one or more copies.