1. A method of locating data objects on which to perform a data management operation within a data storage management system, comprising: receiving a request to perform a data management operation that includes at least one criterion for identifying data objects managed by the storage management system; accessing a metabase containing metadata describing data objects managed by the storage management system and finding specific metadata that identifies data objects managed by the storage management system satisfying the criteria; resolving references in the specific metadata to data objects managed by the storage management system that satisfy the criteria; and providing results that contain the resolved references to the data objects managed by the storage management system that satisfy the criteria on which to perform the data management operation.