Assigning backup resources based on failover of partnered data storage servers in a data storage management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11200124-B2
Application number	US-201816212485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

An illustrative data storage management system is aware that certain data storage resources for storing/serving primary data operate in a partnered configuration. Illustrative components of the data storage management system analyze the failover status of the partnered primary data storage resources to determine which is currently serving/storing primary data and/or snapshots targeted for backup. When detecting that a first partnered primary data storage resource has failed over to a second primary data storage resource, the example storage manager changes the assignment of backup resources that are pre-administered for the targeted data. Accordingly, the example storage manager assigns backup resources, including at least one media agent, that are associated with the second primary data storage resource, and which are “closer” thereto from a geography and/or network topology perspective, even if the pre-administered backup resources are available for backup.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
by a storage manager, identifying one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in a backup job,
wherein the storage manager executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory, and
wherein the storage manager manages storage operations including the backup job in a data storage management system;

by the storage manager, determining that a first data storage server cluster, which is configured to host the one or more data storage volumes, is partnered with a second data storage server cluster,
wherein the storage manager is distinct from and operates outside of the first data storage server cluster and the second data storage server cluster;
by the storage manager, determining that the first data storage server cluster has failed over to the second data storage server cluster, which is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes;
based on the determining that the first data storage server cluster is partnered with the second data storage server cluster and further based on determining that the second data storage server cluster is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in the backup job, assigning by the storage manager a second set of backup resources comprising at least one media agent to back up the one or more data storage volumes from the second data storage server cluster to one or more data storage devices that are in communication with the at least one media agent; and
wherein the second set of backup resources assigned for the backup job are closer to the second data storage server cluster, based on a measure of proximity, than a first set of backup resources that are closer, based on the measure of proximity, to the first data storage server cluster and which are distinct from the second set of backup resources.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein for backing up data from a partnered data storage server cluster, the storage manager is configured to assign backup resources that are closer, based on the measure of proximity, to whichever one of (i) the first data storage server cluster and (ii) the second data storage server cluster is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in the backup job.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a storage policy for a subclient defined by the one or more data storage volumes specifies that the first set of backup resources are to be used for backing up the subclient; and
wherein for backing up data of the subclient, wherein the data is stored in a partnered data storage server cluster, the storage manager is configured to assign backup resources that are closer, based on the measure of proximity, to whichever one of (i) the first data storage server cluster and (ii) the second data storage server cluster is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in the backup job, wherein the first set of backup resources are assigned for the first data storage server cluster.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of backup resources are assigned for the backup job even though the first set of backup resources are currently operational, based on the second set of backup resources being closer to the second data storage server cluster than the first set of backup resources, based on the measure of proximity.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein for backing up data from a partnered data storage server cluster, the storage manager is configured to confirm whether the first data storage server cluster has failed over to the second data storage server cluster before assigning backup resources for the backup job.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measure of proximity comprises geographic distance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measure of proximity includes network topology.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein within the data storage management system, the first set of backup resources are associated with the first data storage server cluster, and the second set of backup resources are associated with the second data storage server cluster.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a file system subclient is defined by the one or more data storage volumes, and wherein the backup job backs up the file system subclient using the second set of backup resources.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage manager identifies the one or more data storage volumes based on information received from a data agent.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a subclient is defined by an association with an application, and wherein a data agent specific to the application identifies that at least one snapshot of application data is stored in the one or more data storage volumes, and wherein the backup job backs up the at least one snapshot using the second set of backup resources.

12. A system comprising:
a storage manager that executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory;
a first set of backup resources comprising at least one first media agent in communication with one or more first data storage devices for storing secondary copies, wherein the at least one first media agent executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory, which is distinct from the computing device on which the storage manager executes;
a second set of backup resources comprising at least one second media agent in communication with one or more second data storage devices for storing secondary copies, wherein the at least one second media agent executes on a computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory, which is distinct from the computing device on which the storage manager executes and from the computing device on which the at least one first media agent executes;
wherein the storage manager is configured to:
identify one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in a backup job,
determine that a first primary data storage resource is partnered with a second primary data storage resource,
determine that the first primary data storage resource has failed over to the second primary data storage resource, which is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes,
wherein the storage manager is distinct from and operates outside of the first primary data storage resource and the second primary data storage resource, and
based on determining that the first primary data storage resource is partnered with the second primary data storage resource and further that the second primary data storage resource is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in the backup job, assign the second set of backup resources to back up the one or more data storage volumes from the second primary data storage resource to the one or more second data storage devices;

wherein for backing up data from a partnered primary data storage resource, the storage manager is further configured to assign backup resources that are closer, based on a measure of proximity, to whichever one of (i) the first primary data storage resource and (ii) the second primary data storage resource is currently hosting the one or more data storage volumes to be backed up in the backup job; and
wherein the second set of backup resources assigned for the backup job are closer to the second primary data storage resource, based on the measure of proximity, than the first set of backup resources, which are closer based on the measure of proximity to the first primary data storage resource.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein a storage policy for a subclient defined by the one or more data storage

Assignees

• Commvault Systems Inc

Inventors

• Rathi Pawan Natwarlal
• Littlefield Duncan Alden
• Vijayan Manoj Kumar

Classifications

• G06F11/1458

  Management of the backup or restore process · CPC title

• G06F11/1456

  Hardware arrangements for backup · CPC title

• G06F11/1453

  using de-duplication of the data · CPC title

• G06F11/1451

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• G06F11/1464

  for networked environments · CPC title