Data storage system for analysis of data across heterogeneous information management systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating customized reports from data storage databases and other information management system databases. The methods include normalizing queried information from different types of information management system databases to enable system-wide report generation. Other implementations are disclosed.

1 . An information management system configured to create graphical reports associated with a status of the information management system, the system comprising:
 a first information management cell having a first storage manager coupled, via a first network, to a first plurality of computing devices,
 wherein the first storage manager includes a first storage manager database to store a first data storage policy associated with the first plurality of computing devices,
 wherein the first data storage policy includes rules that determine a frequency by which the first storage manager causes data that is stored by the first plurality of computing devices to be backed up by a secondary storage device, 
 wherein the first storage manager database is a first type of database; and 
 
   a second information management cell connected to the first information management cell and having a second storage manager coupled, via a second, network to a second plurality of computing devices,
 wherein the second storage manager includes a second storage manager database to store a second data storage policy associated with the second plurality of computing devices,
 wherein the second storage manager database is a second type of database that is different from the first type of database, 
 
 wherein the second storage manager includes a memory storing instructions, 
 wherein the second storage manager includes a processor coupled to the memory,
 wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the second storage manager to:
 receive an input from a user to query the first storage manager database and the second storage manager database, 
 identify the first storage manager database as the first type of database and the second storage manager database as the second type of database, 
 query the first storage manager database using a first set of query commands, 
 query the second storage manager database using a second set of query commands, 
  wherein the first set of query commands are different from the second set of query commands and the first set of query commands are based on identifying the first storage manager database as the first type of database, 
 normalize information received in response to the queries of the first storage manager database and the second storage manager database so the received information has a uniform format, and 
 display a graphical report of the normalized information received from the queries, based on the input received from the user. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first type of database is one of:
 a document-oriented database, a distributed database, and an object-relational database, 
 wherein the instructions further cause the second storage manager to receive a non-table object in response to using first set of query commands on the first type of database, 
 wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to normalize the received information includes converting the non-table object received from the first storage manager database into a database table. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive the input includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive a network address of the first storage manager database,
 wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to identify the first storage manager as the first type includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to query the first storage manager database to determine the type of the first storage manager database by using the network address of the first storage manager database received from the user. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions further cause the second storage manager to:
 populate a user interface object with a list of content identifiers for views, tables, or columns of the first storage manager database and of the second storage manager database, 
 wherein the instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive the input from the user includes instructions to cause the second storage manager to receive user selections of some of the list of content identifiers with the user interface object,
 wherein the user interface object is one of a drop-down menu, a combo box, and a list of check boxes. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . A method for displaying graphical reports of a status of an information management system, wherein the information management system includes a first information management subnetwork having a first plurality of computing devices and a second information management subnetwork having a second plurality of computing devices, comprising:
 populating, with a computing device, a graphical user interface object with a list of content identifiers for heterogeneous information management system databases,
 wherein the heterogeneous information management system databases include:
 a first information management database of a first database management system model,
 wherein the first information management database includes data associated with the first plurality of computing devices, and 
 
 a second information management database of a second database management system model,
 wherein the second information management database includes data associated with the second plurality of computing devices, 
 wherein the first database management system model and the second database management system model are different from one another; 
 
 
   receiving input from a user via the graphical user interface object,
 wherein the input includes at least one selection of a content identifier from the list of content identifiers; 
   determining database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases;   querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers and based on the database management system models of the heterogeneous information management system databases;   normalizing results from the query so a portion of the results attributable to the first information management database is formatted similarly to a portion of the results attributable to the second information management database; and   displaying graphical reports of the normalized results, based on the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers that was selected by the user.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the content identifiers include one or more of views, tables, and columns of the heterogeneous information management system databases. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the graphical reports includes at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart,
 wherein the database management system models include at least three of flat models, hierarchical models, network models, relational models, dimensional models, object-relational models, document models, and object models. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising receiving a network address or network identifier from the user for at least one of the heterogeneous information management system databases,
 wherein determining the database management system models for the heterogeneous information management system databases includes using the network address or the network identifier to request the database management system models directly from the heterogeneous information management system databases over a network.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 associating a graphing function with the user interface object so that the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers is associated with the graphing function,
 wherein displaying the graphical reports includes using the graphing function to display the at least one selection from the list of content identifiers. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the graphical user interface object includes at least one of a drop-down menu, a combo box, a list of check boxes, and a list of radio buttons to enable interaction with the graphical user interface object without typing database commands. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 merging the results from the query by entering the results into an interim database,
 wherein the interim database is an in-memory database that operates in main memory of the computing device; and 
   sorting the results with the interim database prior to displaying the graphical results.   
     
     
         12 . At least one tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for a report generation agent which, when executed by at least one data processing device, causes display of graphical reports of a status of an information management system, comprising:
 populating user interface objects with content identifiers of heterogeneous information management system databases,
 wherein the heterogeneous information management databases are defined by multiple different database models; 
   receiving selections, by a user, from the user interface objects of some of the content identifiers;   querying the heterogeneous information management system databases based on the selected some of the content identifiers;   normalizing results from the query to uniformly format the results; and   displaying graphical reports of the normalized results, based on the some of the content identifiers selected by the user.   
     
     
         13 . The at least one tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 associating a graphing function with each of the user interface objects to associate the content identifiers, selected with the user interface objects, with the graphing functions,
 wherein displaying the graphical reports includes executing the graphing functions. 
   
     
     
         14 . The at least one tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the graphical reports includes at least one of a data table, a bar graph, and a pie chart. 
     
     
         15 . A data storage system for creating graphical reports of a status of the data storage system, the system comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one storage device coupled to the processor;   means for receiving an input from a user via a graphical user interface;   means for querying multiple storage manager databases in response to the input from the user;   means for normalizing information received in response to the query;   means for merging the normalized information into an interim database; and   means for displaying the graphical reports from the normalized information stored in the interim database.   
     
     
         16 . The data storage system of  claim 15  wherein the interim database is an in-memory database that operates in main memory of the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The data storage system of  claim 15  wherein the multiple storage manager databases are heterogeneous and include at least two database management system types,
 wherein normalizing the information received includes translating query results from a first of the at least two database management system types to a second of the at least two database management system types.