Administering a shared, on-line pool of data storage resources for performing data storage operations

Abstract

A data storage system according to certain aspects manages and administers the sharing of storage resources among clients in the shared storage pool. The shared storage pool according to certain aspects can provide readily available remote storage to clients in the pool. A share list for each client may be used to determine where data is stored within the storage pool. The share list may include clients that are known to each client, and therefore, a user may feel more at ease storing the data on the clients in the storage pool. Management and administration of the storage pool and backup and restore jobs can be performed by an entity other than the client, making backup and restore more streamlined and simple for the clients in the pool.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of creating secondary copies of data associated with client computing devices in a shared storage pool, comprising:
 directing with a first storage controller the creation of a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage, the first data associated with a first client computing device in a networked pool of computing devices,   directing with the first storage controller the storage of the secondary copy in storage resources associated with a second client computing device in the networked pool,   directing with a second storage controller the creation of a secondary copy of second data stored in primary storage, the second data associated with a third client computing device in the networked pool of computing devices; and   directing with the second storage controller the storage of the secondary copy of the second data in storage resources associated with the first client computing in the networked pool of computing devices.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising electronically distributing common data protection software to the one or more client computing devices for installation thereon, the common data protection software configured to manage the creation of the secondary copies. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the common data protection software comprises data agent software and storage controller software, wherein the first and second storage controllers are installed instances of the storage controller software, and wherein said first, second, and third client computing devices include installed instances of the data agent software. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the client computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the client computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over the Internet. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining an availability of storage resources associated with a first subset of the client computing devices in the networked pool computing devices; and   based at least in part on the determined availability, deciding to create the secondary copy of the first data in the storage resources associated with the second client computing device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining whether the first client computing device is available for use in restoring the secondary copy of the second data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising compiling a report including an entry indicating the determined availability of the first client computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first client computing device and a fourth client computing device in the networked pool restore the secondary copy of the second data in parallel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the first client computing device and the second data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the third client computing device. 
     
     
         12 . A system for creating secondary copies of data associated with client computing devices in a shared storage pool, the system comprising:
 a first storage controller executing on computer hardware comprising one or more computer processors, the first storage computer directs the creation a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage, the first data associated with a first client computing device in a networked pool of computing devices, first storage controller further directs the storage of the secondary copy in storage resources associated with a second client computing device in the networked pool; and   a second storage controller executing on computer hardware comprising one or more computer processors, the second storage controller directs the creation of a secondary copy of second data stored in primary storage, the second data associated with a third client computing device in the networked pool of computing devices, the second storage controller further directs the storage of the secondary copy of the second data in storage resources associated with the first client computing in the networked pool of computing devices.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer hardware is further configured to electronically distribute common data protection software to the first, second, and third client computing devices for installation thereon, the common software configured to manage the creation of the secondary copies. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the common data protection software comprises data agent software and storage controller software, wherein said first and second storage controllers are installed instances of the storage controller software, and wherein said first, second, and third client computing devices include installed instances of the data agent software. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the client computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over a wide area network (WAN). 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the client computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over the Internet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer hardware is further configured to:
 determine an availability of storage resources associated with the client computing devices in a first subset of the networked pool of computer devices; and   based at least in part on the determined availability, decide to create the secondary copy of the first data in the storage resources associated with the second client computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer hardware is further configured to determine whether the first client computing device is available for use in restoring the secondary copy of the second data. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the computer hardware is further configured to compile a report including an entry indicating the determined availability of the first client computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first client computing device and a fourth client computing device in the networked pool restore the secondary copy of the second data in parallel. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the first client computing device and the second data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the third client computing device.