Efficient processing of time-bounded messages

• US 20060271784A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bolosky, William J., Adya, Atul, Jager, Marcus Jon, Chaiken, Ronnie I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Efficient processing of time-bound messages is described herein. In an implementation, messages are classified either time-bounded messages or non-time-bounded messages. The time-bounded messages are then processed separately from the non-time-bound messages. Examples of time-bounded messages can include spam e-mails or other types or classes of e-mails subject to a retention policy, such that the are retained only for some set period of time. Metadata relating to the time-bound messages are compiled and stored separately from the messages, thereby enabling optimization of the metadata storage and processing apart from the messages. The time-bounded messages are accumulated before they are processed in bulk, thereby reducing the number if I/O operations consumed by the time-bound messages, and reducing the amount and cost of resources supporting the process of the time-bounded messages.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

classifying a plurality of messages as one of time-bounded messages and non-time-bounded messages; and

processing the time-bounded messages separately from the non-time-bounded messages.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising compiling metadata relating to the time-bounded messages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the metadata separately from message bodies corresponding to the time-bounded messages.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein compiling metadata includes determining a storage machine containing a log file in which a time-bounded message corresponding to at least a portion of the metadata is stored.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising accumulating a plurality of the time-bounded messages in a data structure.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising writing the plurality of time-bounded messages from the data structure to at least one log file in bulk.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the messages includes classifying at least some of the messages as spam emails.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the messages includes classifying at least some of the messages as emails that are subject to a predefined retention policy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting the time-bounded messages in response to expiration of a retention period parameter applicable to the time-bounded messages.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading the time-bounded messages from a data store.

11. Apparatus, comprising:

means for classifying a plurality of messages as one of time-bounded messages and non-time-bounded messages; and

means for processing the time-bounded messages separately from the non-time-bounded messages.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for compiling metadata relating to the time-bounded messages.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for storing the metadata separately from message bodies corresponding to the time-bounded messages.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for compiling metadata includes means for determining a storage machine containing a log file in which a time-bounded message corresponding to at least a portion of the metadata is stored.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for classifying the messages includes means for classifying at least some of the messages as spam emails.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for classifying the messages includes means for classifying at least some of the messages as emails that are subject to a predefined retention policy.

17. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing device to:

classify a plurality of messages as one of time-bounded messages and non-time-bounded messages; and

process the time-bounded messages separately from the non-time-bounded messages.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to compile metadata relating to the time-bounded messages.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 18, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to store the metadata separately from message bodies corresponding to the time-bounded messages.

20. One ore more computer readable media as recited in claim 19, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing device to accumulate a plurality of the time-bounded messages in a data structure and to write the plurality of time-bounded messages from the data structure to at least one log file in bulk.