Method for protecting and managing retention of data on worm media

• US 20060123232A1
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cannon, David M., Martin, Howard N., Marek, Toby L., Minch, David R.
• Application Number:
  US11/007,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123232A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/181 providing write once read many [WORM] semantics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1014 One time programmable [OTP] memory, e.g. PROM, WORM
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A policy-based retention manager provides protection and management of files in a WORM file volume. The protection of the files is accomplished by the manager establishing a volume retention period for securely storing the files within the WORM file volume on a WORM media (e.g., a WORM disk media) based on a file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume, and securely storing the WORM file volume on the WORM media during the volume retention period. The management of the files is accomplished by the manager establishing a volume reclamation period for reclaiming unexpired files within the WORM file volume prior to an expiration of the volume retention period, and reclaiming each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

Claims

1. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by at least one processor to perform operations to protect and manage a plurality of files within a WORM file volume, the operations comprising:

establishing a volume retention period for securely storing the files within the WORM file volume on a WORM media based on a file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume;

securely storing the WORM file volume on the WORM media during the volume retention period;

establishing a volume reclamation period for reclaiming unexpired files within the WORM file volume prior to an expiration of the volume retention period based on the file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume; and

reclaiming each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

2. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the WORM media is a WORM disk media.

3. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, further comprising:

reallocating a volume space previously occupied by the WORM file volume of the WORM media subsequent to the reclaiming of each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

4. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein a volume retention end date of the volume retention period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

5. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the volume reclamation period is based on the file retention end date of at least one file within the WORM file volume.

6. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein a volume reclamation begin date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files.

7. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

8. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period and a volume retention end date of the volume retention period are identical.

9. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions operable with the at least one processor for protecting and managing a plurality of files within a WORM file volume, the instructions being executed for;

establishing a volume retention period for securely storing the files within the WORM file volume on a WORM media based on a file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume;

securely storing the WORM file volume on the WORM media during the volume retention period;

establishing a volume reclamation period for reclaiming unexpired files within the WORM file volume prior to an expiration of the volume retention period based on the file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume; and

reclaiming each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the WORM media is a WORM disk media.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further executed for:

reallocating a volume space previously occupied by the WORM file volume of the WORM media subsequent to the reclaiming of each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein a volume retention end date of the volume retention period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the volume reclamation period is based on the file retention end date of at least one file within the WORM file volume.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein a volume reclamation begin date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period and a volume retention end date of the volume retention period are identical.

17. A server for protecting and managing a plurality of files in a WORM file media, comprising:

means for establishing a volume retention period for securely storing the files within the WORM file volume on a WORM media based on a file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume;

means for securely storing the WORM file volume on the WORM media during the volume retention period;

means for establishing a volume reclamation period for reclaiming unexpired files within the WORM file volume prior to an expiration of the volume retention period based on the file retention end date of each file within the WORM file volume; and

means for reclaiming each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the WORM media is a WORM disk media.

19. The server of claim 17, further comprising:

means for reallocating a volume space previously occupied by the WORM file volume of the WORM media subsequent to the reclaiming of each unexpired file within the WORM file volume from the WORM media during the volume reclamation period.

20. The server of claim 17, wherein a volume retention end date of the volume retention period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

21. The server of claim 17, wherein the volume reclamation period is based on the file retention end date of at least one file within the WORM file volume.

22. The server of claim 17, wherein a volume reclamation begin date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files.

23. The server of claim 17, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period is equal to a summation of a latest file retention end date among the file retention end dates of the files and a specified time unit.

24. The server of claim 17, wherein a volume reclamation end date of the volume reclamation period and a volume retention end date of the volume retention period are identical.