Intelligent protection of data

Abstract

A system according to certain aspects improves the process of creating secondary copies of data (e.g., creating backup copies). The system can compute the score of the data (e.g., a computer file storing information) to be backed up, and determine whether the score satisfies one or more threshold criteria before backing up the data. In one example, a change in score indicates a change in the content of the data. The threshold criteria may be that the score be different from the score of the most recently backed up copy of the data.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for protecting electronic data, the method comprising:
 processing, by one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware, a data file stored in one or more primary storage devices in preparation for creation of a secondary copy of the data file in one or more secondary storage devices, the data file containing a plurality of objects;   creating a first secondary copy of the data file on the one or more secondary storage devices;   determining a first score associated with the first secondary copy;   determining whether the data file has been modified since the creation of the first secondary copy;   in response to determining that the data file has been modified since the creation of the first secondary copy, calculating a second score based on the data file,   determining whether difference between the first and second scores satisfies one or more threshold criteria,
 wherein the one or more threshold criteria is provided by an information management policy, 
 wherein the information management policy comprises one or more parameters for performing storage operations associated with the data file; and 
   in response to determining that the difference satisfies the one or more threshold criteria, creating a second secondary copy of the data file on the one or more secondary storage devices and storing the second score.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second scores each comprise two or more values. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the two or more values is a numerical representation of data objects in a data file. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data file is stored in cloud computing environment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data file is a Personal Storage Table (PST) file. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of calculating, comparing, and determining is performed by a client computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determining the first score comprises one of:
 calculating the first score at least in part based on the first secondary copy, or retrieving the first score stored in association with the first secondary copy.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first score or the second score is based at least in part on one or more of
 (i) a number of nodes in the data file;   (ii) a life expectancy of one or more nodes in the data file; and   (iii) an age of one or more nodes.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each node of the one or more nodes corresponds to one of the plurality of objects. 
     
     
         11 . A system for protecting electronic data, the system configured to:
 with one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware:
 process a data file stored in one or more primary storage devices in preparation for creation of a secondary copy of the data file in one or more secondary storage devices, the data file containing a plurality of objects; 
 create a first secondary copy of the data file on the one or more secondary storage devices; 
 determine a first score associated with the first secondary copy; 
 determine whether the data file has been modified since the creation of the first secondary copy; 
 in response to determining that the data file has been modified since the creation of the first secondary copy, calculate a second score based on the data file, 
 determine whether difference between the first and second scores satisfies one or more threshold criteria,
 wherein the one or more threshold criteria is provided by an information management policy, 
 wherein the information management policy comprises one or more parameters for performing storage operations associated with the data file; and 
 
 in response to determining that the difference satisfies the one or more threshold criteria, create a second secondary copy of the data file on the one or more secondary storage devices and storing the second score. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second scores each comprise two or more values. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the two or more values is a numerical representation of data objects in a data file. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data file is stored in cloud computing environment. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data file is a Personal Storage Table (PST) file. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the system is further configured to:
 calculate the first score at least in part based on the first secondary copy, or retrieve the first score stored in association with the first secondary copy.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first score or the second score is based at least in part on one or more of
 (iv) a number of nodes in the data file;   (v) a life expectancy of one or more nodes in the data file; and   (vi) an age of one or more nodes.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each node of the one or more nodes corresponds to one of the plurality of objects.