System and method for bi-directional replication of data objects in a heterogeneous storage environment

Abstract

A system and method of managing object data stored in a heterogeneous cloud environment comprises a separate cloud management system disposed such that the communications path between a user and each cloud to which the user has access is a different communications path than that between the user and the cloud management system or the cloud management system and each of the clouds.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A method of managing objects in a heterogeneous cloud environment, comprising:
 in a server computer:
 maintaining a data base of metadata for objects stored in a first cloud of a plurality of clouds; 
 maintaining a data base of rules for objects stored in the first cloud and at least a second cloud of the plurality of clouds; 
 updating the data base of stored objects and the data base of rules based on receiving from a user, a notification that an object has been stored in a bucket in the first cloud, including at least one rule for the object; 
 determining that metadata for an object stored in the bucket of the first cloud has changed; 
 applying the rule for the object by a sending command to at least the cloud where the object is stored. 
   
     
     
         7 . A method of storing object data in a heterogeneous cloud environment, comprising:
 sending an object to be stored in a first cloud to a bucket in the first cloud;   sending a rule for managing the object to a server processor that maintains a data base of rules and object identifications, the server processor applying the rule for the object when metadata associated with the stored object changes;   when a read request for a stored object fails, re-trying the read request if the rule for the object included storing a copy of the object in a bucket of a second cloud, wherein the read request is sent to the second cloud and, a data path of the read request to the second cloud is different from a data path between the server processor and the second cloud.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of storing data objects in a heterogeneous cloud environment, comprising:
 selecting, by a user, a first cloud and a second cloud of a plurality of clouds for storing object data;   establishing a bucket having at least one replication group in the first cloud or the second cloud;   creating a rule for managing a configuration of stored objects in replication groups;   sending the rule to a cloud replication server over a first communication path to the cloud replication server;   sending a data object to be stored in the replication group in a first cloud over a second communication path;   sending user metadata of the data object to the cloud replication server;   wherein the first communication path, the second communication path, and a third communication path between the user and the second cloud, are different communication paths.   
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled)