Method and system for intelligent storage management

A storage management system, comprising:

• a data collector configured to receive storage management information for a plurality of file systems;
• an agent configured to:
• collect storage management information for a first file system of the plurality of file systems;
• communicate the storage management information for the first file system to the data collector at a predetermined set of periodic times;
• collect fresh storage management information for the first file system and communicate the fresh storage management information to the data collector, upon a request by a user for the real-time update of the storage management information for the first file system;
• and
• perform an action upon the first file system, the action including at least one of backing-up, deleting, compressing, and archiving the first file system;
• and
• a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the plurality of file systems, wherein:
• the user interface includes:
• a policy input interface, the policy input interface configured to allow the user to select a policy, the policy associating a target, a condition, and an action;
• an action input interface, the action input interface configured to allow the user to specify an action;
• a filter, the filter configured to selectively display a subset of the storage management information regarding the plurality file systems;
• and
• a previewer configured to allow the user to view the effect of the action without having the effect of the action take place;
• and the user interface is further configured:
• to allow the user to choose between graphical and numeric displays of the storage management information;
• to allow the user to specify the predetermined set of periodic times;
• to allow the user to request a real-time update of the storage management information for the first file system;
• and
• to display a collection time associated with the storage management information.

A storage management system, comprising:

• a data collector;
• an agent configured to:
• collect storage management information for a storage object at times defined in a collection schedule that defines at least one of (a) one or more times and (b) one or more conditions for the collection;
• communicate the storage management information to the data collector;
• and
• in response to receipt from the data collector of a command to perform on the storage object, execute the command;
• a user interface configured to:
• display the storage management information received by the data collector from the agent;
• allow a user to at least one of input, view, select, and modify a policy set and an action set;
• a memory configured to store the policy set and the action set;
• and
• an action set engine configured to automatically interrogate the storage management information received by the data collector from the agent and to execute an action based on (a) the interrogation, (b) the stored action set, and (c) the stored policy set, wherein the action includes recording the command for the data collector to transmit to the agent.