Gordon A Harris

US Patent:

7756837, Jul 13, 2010

Filed:

Dec 13, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/010497

Inventors:

Tim Williams - Rumson NJ, US
Gordon Harris - Warren NJ, US

Assignee:

Index Engines, Inc. - Rumson NJ

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/00

US Classification:

707670, 711161

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus are disclosed that permit the transparent bridging of a broad range of backup storage devices, such that backup software will identify an intermediate device as a one of those storage devices and will transparently send their backup data-stream thereto as part of the existing standard backup process. Upon receipt of a backup data-stream from the backup software, the methods and apparatus provide for analysis of the data elements in the data-stream, collection of management information about those data elements, and storage of the management information in an easily accessible format for subsequent review and query by users and administrators of the original data. The same backup data-stream is stored on any standard backup storage device, including the imitated backup storage device.