Method and apparatus for minimizing storage of common attachment files in an e-mail communications server
First Claim
1. A method of storing an e-mail communication containing an attachment file received in an e-mail server, comprising the steps of:
- (a) searching a database of attachment files previously stored in the e-mail server for a copy of the attachment file from the received e-mail communication; and
, if a copy of the attachment file is located in the e-mail server, (b) removing the attachment file from the e-mail communication; and
(c) creating a link from the e-mail communication to the previously stored attachment file in the database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an e-mail communications system that minimizes the number of duplicate copies of common attachment files to e-mail communications that are stored in the mail store of an e-mail server. When the e-mail server receives an e-mail attachment file that is larger than a threshold size, the server performs a database search for another copy of the attachment file in the mail store. If another copy is located, the system creates a pointer in the mail store that associates the located attachment file with the e-mail for the additional recipient(s). Attachment files are deleted only after the recipients of the associated e-mail communications delete each of the respective e-mails.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of storing an e-mail communication containing an attachment file received in an e-mail server, comprising the steps of:
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(a) searching a database of attachment files previously stored in the e-mail server for a copy of the attachment file from the received e-mail communication; and
,if a copy of the attachment file is located in the e-mail server, (b) removing the attachment file from the e-mail communication; and
(c) creating a link from the e-mail communication to the previously stored attachment file in the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of storing attachment files to e-mail communications received in an e-mail server, comprising the steps of:
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(a) extracting header information from the e-mail communications and storing the e-mail header information in a mail store;
(b) extracting header information from the attachment file to be stored;
(c) comparing the extracted attachment file header information with header information from attachment files previously stored in the mail store to determine whether the attachment files received with the e-mail communications are duplicates of previously stored files; and
(d) if an attachment file is a duplicate, storing a link in the mail store between the e-mail header information and the previously stored attachment file. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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15. An e-mail communications server comprising:
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(a) an MTA server for receiving e-mail communications from an external network;
(b) a mail store for storing e-mail communications received by the MTA server;
(c) a POP server for downloading e-mail communications from the mail store to client computers through an internal network; and
(d) e-mail attachment file checking software for determining whether attachment files in received e-mail communications are duplicates of attachment files in the mail store, wherein the mail store removes duplicate attachment files from e-mail communications and creates links from received e-mail communications to the corresponding attachment files in the mail store.
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Specification