Cloud-based air-gapped data storage management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12579041-B2
Application number	US-202418893602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2024
Priority date	Jul 10, 2020
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

An illustrative cloud-based air-gapped data storage management (destination) system obtains authorized access to other (source) systems' backup copies, replicates those copies within the destination system, parses supplemental metadata included in the source backup copies, and integrates the replica copies into the destination system as though natively created there. Replica copies are integrated as backup copies without first restoring the source backup copies to a native data format. The source system lacks knowledge of or connectivity with the destination system, thus maintaining an “air gap” between the systems. The destination system preferably operates in a cloud computing environment. The destination system uses supplemental metadata from the replica copies to re-create or mimic the source's computing environment and to restore backed up data from the replica copies. The destination system also operates as an autonomous analytics engine, applying value-added services to backed up data pulled from source system(s).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
(i) a source data storage management system comprising one or more first computer hardware processors that, when executing first computer programming instructions, configure the source data storage management system to: generate a first backup copy of primary data, wherein the primary data was generated at a data processing resource, wherein the first backup copy comprises a backup portion that is based on the primary data, and wherein the first backup copy further comprises supplemental metadata extracted from a first management database of the source data storage management system, and store the first backup copy at a first data storage resource of a cloud computing environment, wherein the source data storage management system comprises a first policy for controlling the first backup copy; and (ii) a destination data storage management system, which operates in the cloud computing environment, wherein the source data storage management system is distinct from and lacks communications with the destination data storage management system, wherein the destination data storage management system comprises a data structure that authorizes the destination data storage management system to read the first backup copy from the first data storage resource, and wherein the destination data storage management system comprises one or more second computer hardware processors that, when executing second computer programming instructions, configure the destination data storage management system to: based on using the data structure, read the first backup copy from the first data storage resource, store at least some of the supplemental metadata read from the first backup copy into a second management database of the destination data storage management system, without restoring the backup portion of the first backup copy, generate a replica backup copy of the first backup copy, wherein the replica backup copy comprises at least the backup portion of the first backup copy, store the replica backup copy at a second data storage resource of the cloud computing environment, wherein the destination data storage management system comprises a second policy for controlling the replica backup copy, restore the replica backup copy into restored primary data within the cloud computing environment, and cause a virtual machine instantiated in the cloud computing environment to access the restored primary data, wherein the virtual machine is configured, at least in part, based on the supplemental metadata.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first policy is distinct from the second policy, and wherein the source data storage management system controls the first backup copy according to the first policy and independently of how the destination data storage management system controls the replica backup copy according to the second policy.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source data storage management system operates outside the cloud computing environment.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source data storage management system operates within the cloud computing environment, in a first subscription account that is distinct from a second subscription account in which the destination data storage management system operates.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source data storage management system is further configured to: identify the supplemental metadata in the first management database, wherein the supplemental metadata is associated with one or more of: the primary data generated by the data processing resource, the data processing resource, and an application that executes at the data processing resource; and is further configured to: include the supplemental metadata in the first backup copy.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the source data storage management system is further configured to: based on determining that air-gap protection is activated at the source data storage management system, identify the supplemental metadata in the first management database, wherein the supplemental metadata is associated with one or more of: the primary data generated by the data processing resource, the data processing resource, and an application that executes at the data processing resource; and is further configured to: include the supplemental metadata in the first backup copy.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the destination data storage management system is further configured to: before restoring the replica backup copy into restored primary data, integrate the replica backup copy into the destination data storage management system, wherein to integrate the replica backup copy, the destination data storage management system is configured to determine, based on indicia in the supplemental metadata read from the first backup copy, that the replica backup copy is compatible with the destination data storage management system.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the destination data storage management system is further configured to add, to the second management database, the second policy for controlling the replica backup copy.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the destination data storage management system lacks authorization to one or more of: restore, purge, and control the first backup copy; and
wherein the source data storage management system lacks control over the replica backup copy.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the replica backup copy is air-gap protected from the source data storage management system.

11 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
by a source data storage management system, generating a first backup copy of primary data, wherein the primary data is generated at a data processing resource, wherein the first backup copy comprises a backup portion based on the primary data, and wherein the first backup copy further comprises supplemental metadata extracted from a first management database of the source data storage management system; by the source data storage management system, storing the first backup copy at a first data storage resource of a cloud computing environment, wherein the source data storage management system comprises a first policy for controlling the first backup copy, and wherein the source data storage management system is distinct from and lacks communications with a destination data storage management system; by the destination data storage management system, which operates in the cloud computing environment, based on using a data structure that authorizes the destination data storage management system to read the first backup copy from the first data storage resource, reading the first backup copy from the first data storage resource; by the destination data storage management system, storing at least some of the supplemental metadata read from the first backup copy into a second management database of the destination data storage management system; without restoring the backup portion of the first backup copy, generating, by the destination data storage management system, a replica backup copy of the first backup copy, wherein the replica backup copy comprises at least the backup portion of the first backup copy; by the destination data storage management system, storing the replica backup copy at a second data storage resource of the cloud computing environment, wherein the destination data storage management system comprises a second policy for controlling the replica backup copy; by the destination data storage management system, restoring the replica backup copy into restored primary data within the cloud computing environment; and by the destination

Assignees

• Commvault Systems Inc

Inventors

• Chatterjee Tirthankar
• Nara Prasad
• Vijayan Manoj Kumar

Classifications

• G06F11/1456

  Hardware arrangements for backup · CPC title

• G06F21/6245

  Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes · CPC title

• G06F21/565

  by checking file integrity · CPC title

• G06F2201/80

  Database-specific techniques · CPC title

• G06F11/1451

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title