Delegation of data classification using common language

A physical storage device having stored therein computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processing devices, perform information management in a computer system including data that has been partitioned according to one or more criterion, wherein performing information management includes:

• receiving configuration information that includes translated classification logic and rules relating to information management categories for objects discovered in a computer system and which have been initially classified;
• collecting information describing the initially classified objects;
• receiving, by delegation, a request to perform a secondary classification service concerning the initially classified objects;
• performing the delegated secondary classification service by applying the translated classification logic and rules to the initially classified objects and to the collected information that describes the initially classified objects, so as to generate secondary classification information concerning those initially classified objects, wherein the translated classification logic and rules are driven at least by the collected information;
• assigning one or more categories of information management to each initially classified object;
• reporting high level information comprising the one or more categories assigned to each object so as to enable mapping of categories to a service level objective for each of the initially classified objects, and to enable identification of services for each of the objects based on the one or more categories assigned to each object, wherein one of the services is associated with the service level objective for an object and the service level objective is part of a target bundle of service level objectives, and wherein a service gap exists when the target bundle does not match any available service bundle, and a response to the service gap is one of finding and providing a service bundle that is adequate for the associated objects, or reporting that no existing service bundle is adequate for the associated objects;
• and
• reporting the secondary classification information to an information management system that is operable to aggregate the secondary classification information with the primary classification information to produce aggregated classification information.

An information management system, comprising:

• a first adapter;
• a second adapter, the second adapter being different from the first adapter;
• a classifier;
• and
• a server configured for communication with a computer system, the first adapter, and the second adapter, and the server comprising:
• a physical storage device having stored therein computer-executable instructions which, when executed by one or more processing devices, perform information management, wherein performing information management includes:
• discovering, using the server, a plurality of objects in the computer system, wherein discovery of the plurality of objects is performed using the first adapter;
• transmitting, to the classifier, configuration information that includes classification logic and rules;
• delegating, using the server, a secondary object classification process to the classifier, the secondary object classification processing being associated with the classification logic and rules and also with the second adapter, the second adapter being operable to translate the classification logic and rules from a first format to a second format that is different from the first format;
• performing, using the server, an initial classification of the plurality of objects so as to generate initial classification information concerning the plurality of objects, and assigning a category to each of the classified objects;
• determining, using the server, a service for each of the plurality of objects individually based on the assigned category of each object;
• requesting, using the server, performance by the classifier of a secondary classification of the initially classified plurality of objects, wherein the secondary classification is based on the classification logic and rules associated with the delegation of the secondary classification process;
• receiving, using the server, secondary classification information from the classifier that identifies one or more of the plurality of objects and one or more categories assigned to the objects individually, wherein one of the categories is mapped to a service level objective;
• aggregating, using the server, the received secondary classification information with the initial classification information to produce aggregated classification information;
• utilizing, using the server, the aggregated classification information to drive treatment of one or more of the plurality of objects, wherein the treatment includes providing one or more services to the objects, the one or more services corresponding to the one or more categories assigned to the objects, wherein one of the services is associated with the service level objective;
• and
• responding, by the server, when a service gap exists, to the service gap by one of finding and providing a service bundle that is adequate for associated objects, or reporting that no existing service bundle is adequate for the associated objects, wherein the service gap exists if a target bundle that includes the service level objective does not match any available service bundle.