Automatic identification of storage requirements, such as for use in selling data storage management solutions

A computing system for demonstrating a new data storage and restoration software package, the computing system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one data storage device;
• an identifying unit for identifying, with a discovery agent, a subset of the multiple computing devices based on system data generated by existing information management software, wherein identifying the subset of the multiple computing devices includes:
• locating the system data in a file system, wherein locating includes searching one or more predetermined paths in the file system, and
• extracting characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices from the system data;
• a transmitting unit for transmitting, by the discovery agent, the extracted characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices to a simulation computing device, to thereby enable the simulation computing device to provide a simulation to a user of a replacement information management software;
• a providing unit for providing a simulation that represents an affect by the replacement information management software using the identified subset of the multiple computing devices and based on the characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices extracted from the system data,
• wherein simulating the replacement information management software includes displaying a user interface for the simulated replacement information management software, and,
• wherein simulating the replacement information management software enables the user to test features of the replacement information management software with simulated versions of the multiple computing devices;
• a generating unit for generating, with the discovery agent, a recommended list of software licenses based on the characteristics of the subset of the identified multiple computing devices of the computing system, wherein the characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices includes
• a role of a computing device, wherein the role of the computing device is server or a client and the software licenses are licences to individual software components of the replacement information management software;
• and
• an installation unit for installing the replacement information management software in accordance with a preferred one of multiple configurations of the subset of the multiple computing devices to enable operation of the replacement information management software within the computing system.

At least one non-signal, tangible, computer-readable medium, whose contents, when executed by a discovery agent, cause the discovery agent to perform operations for simulating replacement information management software to be installed on a computing system of a user, the operations comprising:

• identifying, by the discovery agent, a subset of the multiple computing devices of the computing system based on system data generated by existing information management software in use within the computing system by:
• locating the system data in a file system of the computing system by searching one or more paths in the file system;
• and
• extracting characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices from the located system data;
• transmitting, by the discovery agent, the extracted characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices to a remote computing device;
• causing the computing system to display a user interface that presents a generated simulation of the replacement information management software,
• wherein the remote computing device created the simulation of the replacement information management software based on the identified subset of the multiple computing devices and based on the characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices extracted from the system data,
• wherein at least one computing device of the subset of the multiple computing devices is a managing computing device, and the system data is included in a system content file of the computing system:
• generating a recommended list of software licenses based on the characteristics of the subset of the identified multiple computing devices of the computing system, wherein the characteristics of the subset of the computing devices includes
• a role of a computing device, wherein the role of the computing device is a server or a client and the software licenses are licenses to individual software components of the replacement information management software;
• and
• installing the replacement information software in accordance with a preferred one of multiple configuration of the subset of the multiple computing devices to enable operation of the replacement information management software within the computing system.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a remote computing device, characteristics extracted from system data for a subset of multiple computing devices, wherein the system data is generated by existing information management software of the multiple computing devices;
• generating, at the remote computing device, a simulation of replacement information management software, wherein the generated simulation of the replacement information management software simulates an affect by the replacement information management software using the subset of the multiple computing devices and based on characteristics of the subset of the multiple computing devices extracted from the system data;
• causing display of a user interface for the simulated replacement information management software at the multiple computing devices, wherein the user interface enables a user to test features of the replacement information management software with simulated versions of the multiple computing devices;
• generating a recommended list of software licenses based on the characteristics extracted from system data for a subset of multiple computing devices, wherein the characteristics extracted from system data for a subset of multiple computing devices includes
• a role of a computing device, wherein the role of the computing device is a server or a client and the software licenses are licences to individual software components of the replacement information management software;
• and
• installing the replacement information management software in accordance with a preferred one of multiple configurations of the subset of the multiple computing devices to enable operation of the replacement information management software.