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Abstract

The illustrative systems and methods consolidate storage-array command channels into a media agent that executes outside the production environment. A “snapshot-control media agent” (“snap-MA”) is configured on a secondary storage computing device that operates apart from client computing devices. A “forwarder” media agent operates on each client computing device that uses the storage array, yet lacks command channels to the storage array. Likewise, a “forwarder” proxy media agent may operate without command channels to the storage array. No third-party libraries or storage-array-command devices are installed or needed on the host computing device. The forwarder media agent forwards any commands directed at the storage array to the snap-MA on the secondary storage computing device. The snap-MA receives and processes commands directed at the storage array that were forwarded by the forwarder media agents. Responses from the storage array are transmitted to the respective forwarder media agent. The snap-MA advantageously pools any number of storage-array-command devices so that capacity limitations in regard to communications channels at the storage array may be avoided. As a result, the snap-MA operating in conjunction with the forwarder media agents enable the illustrative system to consolidate the communication of storage-array commands away from client computing devices and/or proxy media agent hosts and into the secondary storage computing device that hosts the snap-MA.

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