Systems and methods for real-time billing and metrics reporting

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of customer computers to be backed-up, each customer computer running a client software to transfer back-up data files and to provide real-time billing and metrics reporting by sampling one or more storage metrics on the volume on a periodic basis;
• packaging the metrics into one or more messages;
• queuing the messages at one or more message queuing servers;
• and delivering to predetermined receiving agents that store the messages in a database holding aggregate metrics for the volume and correlated by customer;
• a system management platform coupled to the client software over the Internet, the system management platform receiving inputs from a web user portal to control operations of the client software and the system management platform to back up the customer computer;
• and
• two or more data storage silos, each including
• a plurality of storage directors communicating with the client software;
• and
• a clustered data storage array.