Automated grouping of computing devices in a networked data storage system

A system for managing a set of client computing devices in a networked data storage environment, the system comprising:

• data storage configured to store grouping criteria for grouping a plurality of client computing devices that form a client pool into one or more client groups, the client groups comprising different priority levels, the client computing devices each having at least one software application executing thereon that generates production data, wherein primary copies of the production data are stored in primary storage in a native format, and wherein secondary copies of the production data are stored in secondary storage separate from the primary storage in a secondary storage format that is different than the native format, and wherein the grouping criteria comprise a plurality of grouping rules of different weights;
• the data storage further configured to store configuration rules for configuring client computing devices;
• computer hardware comprising one or more processors;
• a client grouping module executing in the one or more processors and configured to:
• electronically access the grouping criteria from the data storage during the creation of the secondary copies;
• compare a set of characteristics associated with a first client of the plurality of client computing devices to the grouping criteria to obtain a first comparison result of the percentage of grouping rules that the first client satisfies;
• and
• based on the first comparison result that the client satisfies at least one of the group comprising:
• a predetermined percentage of the grouping rules and at least a more heavily weighted rule, assign the first client to first and second client groups of the plurality of client groups;
• when the first and second client groups have conflicting configuration rules, select a set of configuration rules to follow based on the priority levels of the client groups;
• a configuration manager executing in the one or more processors and configured to:
• electronically access, from the data storage, a set of configuration rules associated with the first and second client groups;
• and
• initiate the configuration of the first client according to the set of configuration rules, wherein based on at least the client name of the first client, the set of configuration rules direct the one or more processors to automatically install on the first client the one or more software applications that generate the production data in the native format, automatically install one or more application-specific data agents to access the production data of an associated application in the native format, and automatically identify one or more storage policies when backups are to occur;
• and
• a storage manager executing in the one or more processors and configured to:
• automatically copy, based on the one or more storage policies associated with the selected set of configuration rules, the production data generated by the first client stored in the native format to create one or more secondary copies of the production data in the secondary storage in the secondary storage format.