Hierarchical systems and methods for performing data storage operations

Abstract

The invention is a hierarchical backup system. The interconnected network computing devices are put into groups of backup cells. A backup cell has a manager software agent responsible maintaining and initiating a backup regime for the network computing devices in the backup cell. The backups are directed to backup devices within the backup cell. Several backup cells can be defined. A manager software agent for a particular cell may be placed into contact with the manager software agent of another cell, by which information about the cells may be passed back and forth. Additionally, one of the software agents may be given administrative control over another software agent with which it is in communication.

1 . A storage management system that preforms data backup in a network computing system comprising virtual backup devices, the storage management system comprising:
 a plurality of networked computing devices;   a first plurality of virtual backup devices executing on one or more of the plurality of network computing devices, the first plurality of virtual backup devices logically grouped together to form a first group of virtual backup devices;   a second plurality of virtual backup devices executing on one or more of the plurality of network computing devices, the second plurality of virtual backup devices logically grouped together to form a second group of virtual backup devices;   at least one client component executing on at least one of the plurality of networked computing devices, the at least one client component obtains data from at least one of the plurality of network computing devices, the at least one client component being further configured to transmit the data to at least one of a plurality of media components;   a virtual manager component executing on at least one of the networked computing devices, the virtual manager component associated with at least the first and second groups of virtual backup devices, the virtual manager component configured to direct the performance of data backup in a network computing system comprising managing backup operations for at least one of the first group of virtual backup devices and for at least one of the second group of virtual backup devices;   the plurality of media components configured to execute on at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and being communicatively coupled to the virtual manager component and to the first and second plurality of virtual backup devices,   wherein the virtual manager component is configured to direct backup operations on at least one of the first group of virtual backup devices by directing the data from the at least one client component through at least one of the plurality of media components to one or more of the first group of virtual backup devices according to a first set of backup guidelines; and   wherein the virtual manager component is further configured to direct backup operations on at least one of the second group of virtual backup devices by directing the data from the at least one client component through at least one of the plurality of media components to one or more of the second group of virtual backup devices according to a second set of backup guidelines.   
     
     
         2 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one of the plurality of media components comprises an index of a physical location of the data stored on the first plurality of virtual backup devices. 
     
     
         3 . The storage management system of  claim 2  wherein the media component is configured to send at least a portion of the index to the virtual manager component. 
     
     
         4 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of virtual backup devices are logically grouped separately from the second plurality of virtual backup devices. 
     
     
         5 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of virtual backup devices are logically grouped together as a unit associated with a set of backup guidelines. 
     
     
         6 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the first plurality of virtual backup devices comprise a first backup cell. 
     
     
         7 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the virtual manager component is configured to maintain information regarding an operational status of at least one of the plurality of media components. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The storage management system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup devices is associated with a department in a company domain. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the backup operations are based on at least one of a storage schedule, an aging policy and a pruning policy. 
     
     
         11 . A method for performing a storage operation in a storage management system that performs data backup in a network computing system comprising virtual backup devices, the method comprising:
 providing a first plurality of virtual backup devices executing on one or more of a plurality of networked computing devices, the first plurality of virtual backup devices logically grouped together to form a first group of virtual backup devices;   providing a second plurality of virtual backup devices executing on one or more of a plurality of networked computing devices, the second plurality of virtual backup devices logically grouped together to form a second group of virtual backup devices;   obtaining data with at least one client component executing on at least one of the plurality of networked computing devices, the at least one client component obtains the data from at least one of the plurality of network computing devices and transmits the data to at least one of a plurality of media components;   processing backup operations with a virtual management component executing on at least one of the networked computing devices, wherein the virtual management component is associated with at least the first group of virtual backup devices and at least the second group of virtual backup devices, wherein the virtual manager component directs the performance of data backup in a network computing system comprising managing backup operations for at least one of the first group of virtual backup devices and for at least one of the second group of virtual backup devices;   directing with the virtual manager component backup operations on at least one of the first group of virtual backup devices by directing the data from the at least one client component through at least one of a plurality of media components to one or more of the first plurality group of virtual backup devices according to a first set of backup guidelines; and   directing with the virtual manager component backup operations on at least one of the second group of virtual backup devices by directing the data from the at least one client component through at least one of the plurality of media components to one or more of the second plurality group of virtual backup devices according to a second set of backup guidelines.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the at least one of the plurality of media components generates an index of a physical location of the data stored on the first plurality of virtual backup devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the media component sends at least a portion of the index to the virtual manager component. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising logically grouping the first plurality of virtual backup devices separately from the second plurality of virtual backup devices. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising logically grouping the first plurality of virtual backup devices together as a unit associated with a set of backup guidelines. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first plurality of virtual backup devices comprise a first backup cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the virtual manager component maintains information regarding an operational status of at least one of the plurality of media components. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the at least one of the second plurality of virtual backup devices is associated with a department in a company domain. 
     
     
         20 . The method  claim 11  wherein the backup operations are based on at least one of a storage schedule, an aging policy and a pruning policy.