Archiving mail servers via a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) server
AssigneeCommvault Systems, Inc.
InventorsSunghyun Wang, Manas Bhikchand Mutha, Jun H. Ahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for providing data storage operations, such as archiving and/or backing up of data, for mail servers, such as Exchange servers, via a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) interface are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide an SMTP server between one or more Exchange servers and a media agent, which is configured to performing secondary copy operations, in order to quickly and/or efficiently generate archive or other secondary copies of various mailboxes within the mail server before or during the transfer of mail data to the media agent for data storage operations.
Claims17
An information management system for archiving a mail server configured to communicate over a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the information management system comprising:
- an SMTP server in communication with a mail server, wherein the SMTP server comprises a data agent configured to:
- access mail or message data stored in one or more mailboxes of the mail server for backing up the mail or message data stored in the one or more mailboxes of the mail server;
- generate one or more files that contain the mail or message data from the one or more mailboxes;
- identify multiple types of mail data within the one or more mailboxes;
- selectively receive a first type of mail data at the SMTP server and not receiving a second type of mail data at the SMTP server;
- store the one or more files to local storage of the SMTP server;
- and,
- transfer the one or more files to a media agent in communication with the SMTP server;
- and,
- a media agent configured to:
- generating backup copies of the one or more files transferred by the data agent, wherein the backup copies are of a different data format than the one or more files;
- and
- store the backup copies to secondary storage devices.
A computer-implemented method for archiving a mail server, the method comprising:
- performing, by a data agent of a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server:
- accessing data stored in one or more mailboxes of a mail server for backing up the data stored in the one or more mailboxes of the mail server, wherein the data is accessed via an SMTP interface established between the SMTP server and the mail server;
- identifying multiple copies of mail data within the one or more mailboxes;
- selectively receiving a first type of mail data at the SMTP server and not receiving a second type of mail data at the SMTP server;
- generating one or more files that contain the data from the one or more mailboxes;
- storing the one or more files to local storage of the SMTP server;
- and
- transferring the one or more files to a media agent of an information management system in communication with the SMTP server;
- and
- performing, by the media agent:
- generating, by the media agent, backup copies of the one or more files, wherein the backup copies are of a different data format than the one or more files;
- and,
- storing the backup copies to secondary storage devices.
A computer-readable medium, excluding transitory propagating signals, storing instructions that, when executed by a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server, causes the SMTP server to perform a method for archiving a mail server, the method comprising:
- performing, by a data agent of the SMTP server:
- accessing mail or message data stored in one or more mailboxes of the mail server for backing up the data stored in the one or more mailboxes of the mail server;
- generating one or more files that contain the mail or message data from the one or more mailboxes;
- identifying multiple types of mail data within the one or more mailboxes;
- selectively receiving a first type of mail data at the SMTP server and not receiving a second type of mail data at the SMTP server;
- storing the one or more files to local storage of the SMTP server;
- and
- transferring the one or more files to a media agent of an information management system in communication with the SMTP server;
- and,
- performing, by the media agent:
- generating backup copies of the one or more files, wherein the backup copies are of a different data format than the one or more files;
- and
- storing the backup copies to secondary storage devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.