Preview generation operations for files in a network-accessible system

Abstract

An information management system is provided herein that combines data backup and data migration operations such that data appears available in a network-accessible folder when in fact the data is stored as a secondary copy in a secondary storage device. For example, a user can indicate that a first file should be added to the network-accessible folder. A client computing device can transmit the first file to a secondary storage computing device that performs a backup operation to store a backup copy of the first file in the secondary storage device. The secondary storage computing device can also generate an index of the first file, which includes a location of the backup copy of the first file, and transmit the index to a server that manages the network-accessible folder. Thus, the backup copy of the first file can be retrieved if the first file is selected via the network-accessible folder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A networked information management system for managing a first network-accessible folder, the networked information management system comprising:
 a client computing device having one or more first hardware processors, wherein the client computing device is configured with first computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the client computing device to:
 request access to the first network-accessible folder, wherein the first network-accessible folder is managed by a server remote from the client computing device; 
 receive a list of files associated with the first network-accessible folder; 
 select a first file listed in the first network-accessible folder, wherein no preview of the first file is available; 
 transmit a request for the first file; 
 receive the first file; 
 receive a request to generate the preview of the first file in response to transmitting the first file; and 
 generating the preview of the first file; and 
   one or more computing devices in communication with the client computing device, wherein the one or more computing devices each have one or more second hardware processors, wherein the one or more computing devices are configured with second computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more computing devices to:
 receive the request from the client computing device for the first file, wherein the request comprises a location of a backup copy of the first file; 
 retrieve the backup copy of the first file from secondary memory that comprises one or more secondary storage devices using the received location of the backup copy of the first file; 
 convert the backup copy of the first file from a backup format to a native format to form a copy of the first file; and 
 transmit the copy of the first file to the client computing device to satisfy the request for the first file.