# US 2019/0171364 A1 · Administering a shared, on-line pool of data storage resources for performing data storage operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171364 A1 - Document ID: US20190171364A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/172,421 - Filed: 2018-10-26 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-31 - Assignees: Commvault Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Commvault Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Sanjay Harakhchand Kripalani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171364A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/065: {Replication mechanisms} - G06F 3/0604: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management} - G06F 3/0605: {by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator} - G06F 3/0619: {in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors} - G06F 3/067: {Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]} - G06F 11/1469: {Backup restoration techniques} - H04L 67/1097: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] - G06F 3/0664: {at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system} - G06F 11/1448: {Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore} - G06F 11/1451: {by selection of backup contents} - G06F 11/1453: {using de-duplication of the data} - G06F 11/1456: {Hardware arrangements for backup} - G06F 2201/84: Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A data storage system according to certain aspects manages and administers the sharing of storage resources among clients in the shared storage pool. The shared storage pool according to certain aspects can provide readily available remote storage to clients in the pool. A share list for each client may be used to determine where data is stored within the storage pool. The share list may include clients that are known to each client, and therefore, a user may feel more at ease storing the data on the clients in the storage pool. Management and administration of the storage pool and backup and restore jobs can be performed by an entity other than the client, making backup and restore more streamlined and simple for the clients in the pool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 (canceled) ### Claim 2 A method of creating secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices in a shared storage pool, comprising: receiving instructions to create a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage associated with a first computing device in a networked pool of computing devices; accessing a data structure associated with the first computing device that identifies a first subset of computing devices in the networked pool that are designated for sharing storage resources with the first computing device; and causing a first storage controller to create the secondary copy of the first data in storage resources associated with a second computing device in the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool, wherein storage resources associated with the first computing device are designated for sharing with a third computing device in the networked pool such that the storage resources associated with the first computing device can be configured to be used by a second storage controller to create a secondary copy of second data stored in the primary storage that is associated with the third computing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising electronically distributing common data protection software to the one or more computing devices for installation thereon, the common data protection software configured to manage the creation of the secondary copies. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the common data protection software comprises data agent software and storage controller software, wherein said first and second storage controllers are installed instances of the storage controller software, and wherein said first, second, and third computing devices include installed instances of the data agent software. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over a wide area network (WAN). ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over the Internet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining an availability of storage resources associated with the computing devices in the first subset; and based at least in part on the determined availability, deciding to create the secondary copy of the first data in the storage resources associated with the second computing device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether the first computing device is available for use in restoring the secondary copy of the second data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising compiling a report including an entry indicating the determined availability of the first computing device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first computing device and a fourth computing device in the networked pool restore the secondary copy of the second data in parallel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the first computing device and the second data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the third computing device. ### Claim 12 A system for creating secondary copies of data associated with user computing devices in a shared storage pool, the system comprising: a first computing device in a networked pool of computing devices, the first computing device associated with a first data structure that lists a first subset of computing devices in the networked pool that are designated for sharing storage resources with the first computing device; and first computer hardware, the first computer hardware configured to: receive instructions to create a secondary copy of first data stored in primary storage associated with the first computing device; access the first data structure to identify the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool; and cause a first storage controller to create the secondary copy of the first data in storage resources associated with a second computing device in the first subset of computing devices in the networked pool, wherein storage resources associated with the first computing device are designated for sharing with a third computing device in the networked pool such that the storage resources associated with the first computing device can be configured to be used by a second storage controller to create a secondary copy of second data stored in the primary storage that is associated with the third computing device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first computer hardware is further configured to electronically distribute common data protection software to the first, second, and third computing devices for installation thereon, the common software configured to manage the creation of the secondary copies. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the common data protection software comprises data agent software and storage controller software, wherein said first and second storage controllers are installed instances of the storage controller software, and wherein said first, second, and third computing devices include installed instances of the data agent software. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over a wide area network (WAN). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the computing devices in the networked pool are in communication with one another over the Internet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first computer hardware is further configured to: determine an availability of storage resources associated with the computing devices in the first subset; and based at least in part on the determined availability, decide to create the secondary copy of the first data in the storage resources associated with the second computing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first computer hardware is further configured to determine whether the first computing device is available for use in restoring the secondary copy of the second data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the first computer hardware is further configured to compile a report including an entry indicating the determined availability of the first computing device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the first computing device and a fourth computing device in the networked pool restore the secondary copy of the second data in parallel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the first data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the first computing device and the second data comprises production data generated by one or more software applications executing on the third computing device.