Patent ID: 9411865
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method of data analysis for a backup system, the method comprising: generating a dump file for each of a plurality of backup servers, each dump file comprising configuration and state information about each of the plurality of backup servers in a native format used by each of the plurality of backup servers on which data is stored, wherein the backup servers backup the data from a primary storage layer to a common media layer; extracting a first predetermined configuration and state information from the respective dump files of the plurality of backup servers, the first predetermined configuration and state information being in different formats based on the dump file from which it was extracted; translating the first predetermined configuration and state information from the format used by each of the plurality of backup servers into a normalized format, wherein the translated first configuration and state information comprises configuration and state information irrespective of which of the plurality of backup servers from which it was generated; storing the translated first configuration and state information in a single database; generating a dump file for each of a plurality of different computer systems of the primary storage layer, each dump file comprising configuration and state information about each of the plurality of computer systems in a format used by each of the plurality of computer systems on which the data is stored, wherein the plurality of computer systems include server computers, desktop computers, and laptop computers which are physically located across various sites and use hardware and software from different vendors; extracting a second predetermined configuration and state information from the respective dump files of the plurality of different computer systems, the second predetermined configuration and state information being in different formats based on the dump file from which it was extracted; translating the second predetermined configuration and state information from the format used by each of the plurality of computer systems into a normalized format, wherein the translated second configuration and state information comprises configuration and state information irrespective of which of the plurality of computer systems from which it was generated; and storing the translated second configuration and state information in the single database; determining what components are in the backup system, how the backup system works, how data is stored in the backup system, how efficiently data is stored in the backup system, a total capacity of the backup system, a remaining capacity of the backup system, and an operating cost of the backup system by analyzing the normalized first and second configuration and state information stored in the single database.