Storing metadata at a cloud-based center, and recovering backup data stored remotely from the cloud-based center

Abstract

A Remote Metadata Center provides Distaster Recovery (DR) testing and metadata backup services to multiple business organizations. Metadata associated with local data backups performed at business organizations is transmitetd to the Remote Metadata Center. Corresponding backup data is storeged in a data storage system that is either stored locally at the business organization or at a data storage facility that is at a different location than the Remote Metadata Center and the business organization. DR testing can be staged from the Remote Data Center using the metadata receievd and optionally with assistance from an operator at the business organization and/or the data storage facility.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 backing up production data from a plurality of computers at a first production data site,   wherein the backing up generates backup data and storage metadata, and   wherein the storage metadata comprises information for restoring the backup data, including one or more of: a pointer and a look-up table;   storing the backup data at a data storage facility associated with the first production data site;   transmitting the storage metadata, and not the backup data, to a metadata center that is separate from the first production data site,
 wherein the metadata center stores the storage metadata; 
   receiving an operator command, at an administration server at the first production data site, to test disaster recovery of the backup data;   sending a request to test disaster recovery of the backup data to the metadata center;   passing control to the metadata center to test disaster recovery of the backup data, at the metadata center, using the storage metadata; and   wherein a graphical user interface (GUI) at the administration server displays one or more status updates of a disaster recovery test as received from the metadata center.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a service alert message from the metadata center, wherein the service alert message indicates that a service level agreement has been exceeded; and 
 providing the service alert message on the GUI at the administration server. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a restoration request from the metadata center for one or more data files; 
 verifying availability of the one or more data files within the backup data; and 
 communicating on the availability to the metadata center. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 by the metadata center, processing the storage metadata to generate usage information. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the processing of the storage metadata to generate the usage information comprises:
 determining whether the storage metadata complies with at least one service level agreement, and   based on the storage metadata exceeding the at least one service level agreement, generating a service alert message.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising: communicating the service alert message to an operations support system that is configured to generate billing information based on the service alert message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: by the metadata center, testing disaster recovery of the backup data based on the storage metadata without causing the backup data to be restored. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: by the metadata center, testing disaster recovery of the backup data based on the storage metadata, wherein the testing comprises instructing an operator at the data storage facility to mount the backup data, which resides on one of a tape and a drive. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metadata center is configured in one of: a cloud-based disaster recovery service and a cloud-based backup storage facility. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata center comprises a storage manager that controls a disaster recovery test of the backup data. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 backing up production data from a plurality of computers at a first production data site,   wherein the backing up generates backup data and storage metadata,   wherein the storage metadata comprises information for restoring the backup data, including one or more of: a pointer and a look-up table, and   wherein the backing up is controlled by a local storage manager at the first production data site;   storing the backup data at a data storage facility associated with the first production data site;   transmitting the storage metadata, and not the backup data, to a cloud-based metadata center that is external to the first production data site and to the data storage facility,
 wherein the cloud-based metadata center receives the storage metadata at a cloud storage manager that stores the storage metadata in a cloud-based metadata storage system in communication therewith; 
   receiving an operator command, at an administration server at the first production data site, to test disaster recovery of the backup data;   sending a request to test disaster recovery of the backup data to the cloud-based metadata center;   passing control to the cloud-based metadata center to test disaster recovery of the backup data, at the cloud-based metadata center, using the storage metadata; and   wherein a graphical user interface (GUI) at the administration server displays one or more status updates of a disaster recovery test as received from the cloud-based metadata center.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: by the administration server at the first production data site, controlling the cloud storage manager for the disaster recovery test. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 receiving a service alert message from the cloud-based metadata center, wherein the service alert message indicates that a service level agreement has been exceeded as indicated by the storage metadata received from the first production data site; and 
 providing the service alert message on the GUI at the administration server. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 receiving at the first production data site a restoration request from the cloud-based metadata center for one or more data files; 
 verifying availability of the one or more data files within the backup data; and 
 communicating on the availability to the cloud-based metadata center. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: by the cloud-based metadata center, processing the storage metadata to generate usage information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the processing of the storage metadata to generate the usage information comprises:
 determining whether the storage metadata complies with at least one service level agreement, and   based on the storage metadata exceeding the at least one service level agreement, generating a service alert message.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: communicating the service alert message to an operations support system that is configured to generate billing information based on the service alert message. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: by the cloud-based metadata center, testing disaster recovery of the backup data based on the storage metadata without causing the backup data to be restored. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising: by the cloud-based metadata center, testing disaster recovery of the backup data based on the storage metadata, wherein the testing comprises instructing an operator at the data storage facility to mount the backup data, which resides on one of a tape and a drive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein cloud storage manager controls the disaster recovery test of the backup data.