1. A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method comprising: updating a database with information describing availability of a first copy of data stored within the computer system, wherein a subsequent data access request can determine a precedence with which to access copies of requested data based on the availability information, and wherein the availability information includes at least a type of media on which the primary copy of the data is stored or a location where the data copy is stored or types of data management operations that have been performed on the data copy; and performing a data management operation on the primary copy to create at least one second copy of the data stored within the computer system by accessing the first copy and without accessing source data, wherein the data management operation is selected from the group consisting essentially of encryption, de-duplication, and content indexing; and receiving a request to access data and determine which of the primary and at least one second copy to use to access the data based at least in part on the availability information stored within the database.