Consolidated processing of storage-array commands by a snapshot-control media agent

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device that comprises one or more processors and associated computer memory, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

• executing a second media agent, which is in communication with a first media agent that executes on a first computing device comprising one or more processors and associated computer memory,
• wherein an application and a data agent associated with the application also execute on the first computing device, and
• wherein the application reads and writes primary data residing on a storage array;
• providing by the second media agent indirect communications of operational commands between the first media agent and the storage array by:
• (a) transmitting a first operational command, received by the second media agent from the first media agent, to the storage array using a first command device that is configured on the second media agent, and
• (b) transmitting a response to the first operational command, received by the second media agent from the storage array, to the first media agent executing on the first computing device;
• and
• wherein the second media agent is configured with a plurality of command devices, including the first command device, for directly communicating operational commands to the storage array and further for consolidating at the second media agent communications of operational commands originating from the first media agents and directed at the storage array.

A method comprising:

• on a first computing device that comprises one or more processors and associated computer memory, executing a first media agent, an application that reads and writes primary data residing on a storage array, and a data agent associated with the application;
• on a second computing device that comprises one or more processors and associated computer memory, executing a second media agent that is in communication with the first media agent;
• based at least in part on a first command device configured on the second media agent, providing by the second media agent indirect communications of operational commands between the first media agent and the storage array by:
• (a) transmitting a first operational command, received by the second media agent from the first media agent, to the storage array using the first command device, and
• (b) transmitting a response to the first operational command, received by the second media agent from the storage array, to the first media agent on the first computing device;
• wherein the first computing device is one of a plurality of first computing devices each executing a respective application, a data agent associated with the respective application, and a respective first media agent, and
• further wherein each first computing device is configured with no command devices for directly communicating operational commands to the storage array;
• and
• wherein the second media agent is configured with a plurality of command devices, including the first command device, for directly communicating operational commands to the storage array and further for consolidating at the second media agent communications of operational commands originating from the first media agents and directed at the storage array.