External storage manager for a data storage cell

摘要

A storage management solution according to certain embodiments is provided which decouples certain aspects of the storage manager from the data storage cell. The data storage system according to certain aspects can provide one or more external storage managers that manage data protection and administer the operation of data storage cells. According to certain aspects, usage of the decoupled storage manager can be allocated amongst multiple data storage cells, such as by data storage cells of multiple companies, sub-units of a company, or both.

主权项

1. A method of providing shared data storage management services to a plurality of data storage cells, comprising:
using a storage manager comprising one or more hardware processors:
receiving over a wide area network (WAN) a first request to allow a first component of a first data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells to utilize storage management services provided by the storage manager, the plurality of data storage cells implemented on respective local area networks (LANs), the first data storage cell located remotely from the storage manager and in communication with the storage manager over the WAN, the first data storage cell comprising at least:
(i) one or more client computing devices each having at least one software application installed thereon which generates primary data,(ii) one or more secondary storage controller computers comprising computer hardware configured to perform storage operations at the direction of the storage manager, and(iii) one or more secondary storage devices configured to store secondary copies of the primary data,wherein the one or more client computing devices, the one or more secondary storage controller computers, and the one or more secondary storage devices are separate from the one or more hardware processors,wherein the primary data and the secondary copies of the primary data associated with the first data storage cell are not accessible by the storage manager;adding an entry corresponding to the first request to a data structure including a list of entries corresponding to other pending requests from the plurality of data storage cells;accessing from the data structure the entry corresponding to the first request;accessing group information usable for assigning the first component to one of a plurality of groups associated with one or more storage policies;assigning, based on the group information, the first component to a first group of the plurality of groups associated with a first storage policy;receiving a request for a first operation to be performed by the storage manager on behalf of the first component; andperforming the first operation on behalf of the first component according to the first storage policy.