Integration of a database into file management software for protecting, tracking and retrieving data

• US 6,212,512 B1
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Ellen M., Schwols, Keith, Barney, Rock D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US09/225,522
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-206, 705/26, 705/54, 705/400, 705/51, 713/165, 713/166, 713/200, 380/277, 382/232, 345/326, 345/333, 345/348-358
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A data protection system that integrates a database with Windows Explorer in the Microsoft Windows 9X and NT Environments that mimics the Windows Explorer user interface, enabling the user to apply already known use paradigms. The data protection system appears as an extension to Windows Explorer and visibly appears as a folder item called the data vault. The data vault is a virtual disk that represents the underlying database. The database creates records and stores information about files backed up to removable secondary storage medium. Files may be backed up manually or automatically. A schedule can be set up for automatic protection of selected files and file types. The database can be searched to find files for restoration purposes without having to load secondary storage medium. Once a file or files are selected, the data protection system indicates which labeled removable secondary storage medium must be loaded for retrieval.

Claims

1. A method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a database to an existing operating system and to existing file management software on said computer system;

(b) selecting at least one file to be protected from a primary storage device in said computer system;

(c) copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to a secondary storage device in said computer system by activating said existing file management software to perform said copying;

(d) creating at least one database record when copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to said secondary storage device, wherein said at least one database record contains tracking information about said at least one file and about said copying;

(e) storing said at least one database record in said database; and

(f) displaying said at least one database record, through a user interface for said existing file management software on a screen display in a graphics display device of said computer system, wherein said at least one database record is displayed graphically as a virtual file representing said at least one file.

2. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 1 wherein said tracking information in said at least one database record further comprises a file name, a file size, a file type, a removable storage medium name, a file path, a file creation date, a file creation time, a last protected date, a last protected time, a last modified date, a last modified time, a document set name, and a protect file status.

3. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 1 wherein step (c) further comprises the step (c1);

(c1) copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to at least one removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device, wherein said secondary storage device can mount a plurality of said removable storage media one at a time.

4. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

(g) selecting said virtual file representing said at least one file, displayed on said graphics display device, for retrieval; and

(h) copying said at least one file from said at least one removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device to said primary storage device by activating said existing file management software to perform said copying.

5. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 4 wherein step (f) further comprises the steps (f1) and (f2):

(f1) displaying, in a left pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device, in a hierarchical tree format,

(f1a) a data vault folder item,

(f1b) at least one media source folder item displayed beneath said data vault folder item,

(f1c) at least one source drive item displayed beneath said at least one media source folder item, and

(f1d) at least one folder item displayed beneath said at least one source drive item, wherein said data vault folder item, said at least one media source folder item, said at least one source drive item, and said at least one folder item are a graphic representation of a data protection system domain; and

(f2) displaying said virtual file representing said at least one file in a right pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device.

6. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 5 wherein step (b) further comprises the step (b1), and step (c1) further comprises the step (c1a);

(b1) selecting said at least one file, displayed graphically in said screen display by said user interface for said existing file management software, through drag input on said at least one file graphically displayed utilizing a drag and drop maneuver supported by said existing file management software; and

(c1a) copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to said removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device through drop input from said drag and drop maneuver, wherein said data vault folder item displayed in said graphics display device serves as a drop target for said drop input.

7. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 5 wherein step (b) further comprises the step (b1), and step (c1) further comprises the step (c1a);

(b1) selecting said at least one file, displayed graphically in said screen display by said user interface for said existing file management software, through copy input on said at least one file graphically displayed utilizing a copy and paste maneuver supported by said existing file management software; and

(c1a) copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to said removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device through paste input from said copy and paste maneuver, wherein said data vault folder item displayed in said graphics display device serves as a paste target for said paste input.

8. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 5 wherein steps (a) through (h) are performed utilizing data protection software loaded into a memory of said computer system, wherein said data protection software is interfaced with said existing file management software and said existing operating system and said database.

9. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 8 wherein step (b) is replaced by the following new step (b), step (c1) is replaced by the following new step (c1), step (d) is replaced by the following new step (d), step (e) is replaced by the following new step (e), step (f1) is replaced by the following new step (f1), step (f2) is replaced by the following new step (f2), step (g) is replaced by the following new step (g), and step (h) is replaced by the following new step (h):

(b) selecting a plurality of files to be protected from said primary storage device on said computer system;

(c1) copying said plurality of files from said primary storage device to said at least one removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device with said existing file management software;

(d) creating a plurality of database records, corresponding to said plurality of files, when copying said plurality of files to said secondary storage device, wherein each of said plurality of database records contains said tracking information about each of said plurality of files and about said copying of each of said plurality of files;

(e) storing each of said plurality of database records in said database;

(f1) displaying, in a left pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device, in a hierarchical tree format,

(f1a) a data vault folder item,

(f1b) a plurality of media folder items when said data vault folder item is opened up,

(f1c) a plurality of source drive items when one of said plurality of media folder items is opened up, and

(f1d) a plurality of folder items when one of said media folder items is opened up, wherein said data vault folder item, said plurality of media folder items, said plurality of source drive items, and said plurality of folder items are a graphic representation of a data protection system domain;

(f2) displaying in a right pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device, when one of said media folder items is opened up, a plurality of virtual files representing a portion of said plurality of files;

(g) selecting at least one of said plurality of virtual files, representing at least one of said plurality of files, displayed in said right pane of said screen display in said graphics display device, for retrieval; and

(h) copying said at least one of said plurality of files, represented by said at least one of said plurality of virtual files selected in step (g1), from said removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device to said primary storage device with said existing file management software.

10. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 9 wherein said graphic representation of said data protection system domain displayed in said left pane of said screen display, and said plurality of virtual files displayed in said right pane of said screen display, are displayed without having any of said removable storage media mounted into said secondary storage device.

11. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises the steps (b1) through (b4):

(b1) inserting a plurality of file names in a protection list within a protection list editor scheduler component of said data protection software, wherein each of said plurality of file names corresponds to each of said plurality of files selected in step (b1);

(b2) storing said protection list in said primary storage device;

(b3) setting at least one scheduled day and time in said protection list editor scheduler component of said data protection software; and

(b4) passing said at least one scheduled day and time to a scheduler runner component of said data protection software, wherein said scheduler runner component watches a system clock of said computer system for the arrival of said at least one scheduled day and time.

12. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 11 wherein step (b1) further comprises the step (b1a):

(b1a) inserting said plurality of file names in said protection list by specifying a selection criteria, wherein said selection criteria is a file type.

13. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 11 wherein step (b1) further comprises the step (b1a):

(b1a) inserting said plurality of file names in said protection list by specifying a selection criteria, wherein said selection criteria is a folder item.

14. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 11 wherein step (b3) further comprises the steps (b3a):

(b3a) editing said protection list to add at least one additional file name to said protection list, or to delete at least one of said plurality of file names already in said protection list.

15. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 11 wherein step (c1) further comprises the steps (c01) through (c03) performed before step (c1), and step (c1) further comprises step (c1a):

(c01) when said at least one scheduled day and time arrives, retrieving, by said scheduler runner component, said protection list from said primary storage device;

(c02) invoking, by said scheduler runner component, a protect file component of said data protection software;

(c03) passing, by said scheduler runner component, a list of data objects derived from said protection list to said protect file component; and

(c1a) copying, by said protect file component, said plurality of files corresponding to said plurality of file names passed from said list of data objects, from said primary storage device to said removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device, with said existing file management software.

16. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 15 wherein step (c03) further comprises the steps (c03a) through (c03c), and step (c1a) further comprises the steps (c1a1) through (c1a3):

(c03a) querying, by said protect file component, said database through a database server, to see if a version of a first file, from said plurality of files to be copied, resides on said at least one removable storage medium currently mounted within said secondary storage device;

(c03b) if said version of said first file currently resides on said at least one removable storage medium, performing step (c03c), otherwise not performing step (c03c);

(c03c) moving, by said protect file component, said version of said first file on said at least one removable storage medium to a version folder on said at least one removable storage medium;

(c1a1) reading, by said protect file component, said first file from said primary storage device;

(c1a2) copying, by said protect file component utilizing said existing file management software, said first file to said at least one removable storage medium currently mounted in said secondary storage device; and

(c1a3) repeating steps (c03a) through (c1a2) for each of said plurality of files corresponding to each of said plurality of file names from said list of data objects.

17. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 9 wherein step (g1) is replaced by the following new steps (g1) through (g8):

(g1) selecting a find option, displayed in said graphics display device, and supported by said existing operating system, causing said existing file management software to be invoked;

(g2) invoking, by said existing file management software, a find component of said data protection software, causing a data vault option to be displayed in said graphics display device;

(g3) receiving click input on said data vault option;

(g4) invoking, by said find component, a find utility component of said data protection software, wherein said find utility component displays a find dialog box in said graphics display device;

(g5) receiving input, through said find dialog box, of a file name;

(g6) receiving click input on a find now button in said find dialog box, causing said find utility component to perform a search in said database for a database record corresponding to said file name;

(g7) displaying, by said data protection software, in said find dialog box, a result of said search, wherein said result lists said file name and a portion of said tracking information contained in said database record for a file corresponding to said file name; and

(g8) receiving click input to retrieve from said secondary storage device said file corresponding to said file name, said click input causing said data protection software to invoke a retrieve file component of said data protection software, wherein said retrieve file component displays a retrieve file options dialog box in said graphics display device.

18. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 17 wherein step (h1) is replaced by the following new steps (h1) through (h9):

(h1) receiving a database ID for said file name, and a file path, from said tracking information determined in step (g8) in said retrieve file component;

(h2) receiving, by said retrieve file component, input, in said retrieve file options dialog box, to copy said file to an original file location or to an alternate file location;

(h3) if said file is to be copied to said original file location, performing steps (h4) through (h6) and not steps (h7) through (h9), and if said file is to be copied to said alternate file location, performing steps (h7) through (h9) and not steps (h4) through (h6);

(h4) receiving, by said retrieve file component, click input to begin copying said file;

(h5) reading, by said retrieve file component, said file from a proper removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device;

(h6) writing, by said retrieve file component, said file to said primary storage device at said original file location specified by said file path;

(h7) receiving, by said retrieve file component, input, in said retrieve file options dialog box, of an alternate file path;

(h8) reading, by said retrieve file component, said file from a proper removable storage medium mounted in said secondary storage device; and

(h9) writing, by said retrieve file component, said file to said primary storage device at said alternate file location specified by said alternate file path.

19. The method for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 18 wherein step (h4) further comprises the steps (h4a) through (h4e), and step (h7) further comprises the steps (h7a) through (h7e):

(h4a) checking, by said retrieve file component, to see if said proper removable storage medium having said file is mounted in said secondary storage device;

(h4b) when said proper removable storage medium is not mounted in said secondary storage device, performing steps (h4c) through (h4e);

(h4c) displaying, by said retrieve file component, an insert disk dialog box in said screen display;

(h4d) prompting, by said retrieve file component in said insert disk dialog box, for the insertion of said proper removable storage medium;

(h4e) verifying, by said retrieve file component, that said proper removable storage medium is mounted in said secondary storage device;

(h7a) checking, by said retrieve file component, to see if said proper removable storage medium having said file is mounted in said secondary storage device;

(h7b) when said proper removable storage medium is not mounted in said secondary storage device, performing steps (h7c) through (h7e);

(h7c) displaying, by said retrieve file component, an insert disk dialog box in said screen display;

(h7d) prompting, by said retrieve file component in said insert disk dialog box, for the insertion of said proper removable storage medium;

(h7e) verifying that said proper removable storage medium is mounted in said secondary storage device.

20. A system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system, said system comprising:

a database, stored on a primary storage device of said computer system, wherein said database is connected to an existing operating system of said computer system and connected to existing file management software of said computer system;

a secondary storage device, connected to said computer system, for receiving a copy of at least one file from said primary storage device for protection and retrieval thereof; and

data protection software, operating within a memory of said computer system, wherein said data protection software is connected to said existing file management software, connected to said existing operating system, and connected to said database;

wherein, at least one database record, comprised of tracking information about said at least one file copied to said secondary storage device, is created and stored in said database, and further wherein said at least one database record appears as a virtual file representing said at least one file within a user interface of said existing file management software displayed in a screen display of a graphics display device attached to said computer system.

21. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 20 wherein said secondary storage device further comprises:

at least one removable storage medium, mounted in said secondary storage device, for receiving said copy of said at least one file from said primary storage device, wherein said secondary storage device can mount a plurality of said removable storage media one at a time.

22. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 20 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a database server, wherein said database server provides an object interface to said database, and further wherein said database server reads and updates said database and stores said database on said primary storage device.

23. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 20 wherein said secondary storage device further comprises:

a compact disk device with an installable file system interface.

24. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 20 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a data protection system domain, wherein said data protection system domain comprises said at least one database record, stored in said database, containing said tracking information about said at least one file copied to said secondary storage device.

25. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 24 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a shell extension interacting with said existing file management software, wherein said shell extension extends a context menu for folders and a context menu for files for file management software objects not within said data protection system domain;

a name space extension interacting with said existing file management software, wherein said name space extension extends said existing file management software to said data protection system domain;

a find component interacting with said existing file management software, wherein said find component extends a find frame menu and a start button find menu of said existing file management software to said data protection system domain; and

a find utility interacting with said find component, wherein when input is received on a find option from said find frame menu or said start button find menu, said find component invokes said find utility to find said at least one file within said data protection system domain.

26. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 25 wherein said name space extension displays, in a left pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device, in a hierarchical tree format, a graphic representation of said data protection system domain, said graphic representation of said data protection system domain comprising a data vault folder item, at least one media source folder item displayed beneath said data vault folder item, at least one source drive item displayed beneath said at least one media source folder item, and at least one folder item displayed beneath said at least one source drive item.

27. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 25 wherein said name space extension controls a right pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software in said graphics display device, and displays said virtual file in said right pane.

28. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 25 wherein said name space extension controls and alters said existing file management software frame menus, said existing file management software tool bars, and said existing file management software status bar, displayed in said user interface for said existing file management software in said screen display of said graphics display device.

29. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 25 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a protection list scheduler editor, said protection list scheduler editor further comprising

a protection list, wherein said protection list contains at least one data object having at least one file name corresponding to said at least one file stored on said primary storage device, and a file path for said at least one file; and

a schedule, wherein said schedule contains at least one date and at least one time, wherein upon the arrival of said at least one date and said at least one time, said at least one file is copied from said primary storage device to said secondary storage device.

30. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 29 wherein said shell extension adds said at least one data object having said at least one file name and said file path to said protection list, and stores said protection list as a protection list text file on said primary storage device, when input is received on an add to protection list option in said context menu for files.

31. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 29 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a scheduler runner, invoked by said protection list scheduler editor, wherein said scheduler runner watches a system clock of said computer system to determine when said at least one date and said at least one time arrives, and further wherein when said at least one date and said at least one time arrives, said scheduler runner initiates a protection session, wherein said protection list is received by said scheduler runner as input for said protection session, and further wherein during said protection session said at least one file is copied from said primary storage device to said secondary storage device.

32. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 31 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a protect file component, wherein said protect file component controls said copying of said at least one file from said primary storage device to said secondary storage device, and further wherein said protect file component receives said protection list from said scheduler runner, gets said at least one data object having said at least one file name and said file path from said protection list, reads said at least one file from said primary storage device, and writes said at least one file to said secondary storage device.

33. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 32 wherein said shell extension invokes said protect file component when input is received on a protect now option in said context menu for folders or said context menu for files.

34. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 32 wherein said name space extension invokes said protect file component when a graphic representation of a file selected from said user interface for said existing file management software is dropped from a drag and drop maneuver onto said graphic representation of said data protection system domain displayed in said left pane of said screen display of said user interface for said existing file management software.

35. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 32 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a data protection system version display dialog box, invoked by said shell extension and displayed in said screen display when click input is received on a folder or on a file not within said data protection system domain, wherein all versions of a selected file that are within said data protection system domain are displayed in said data protection system version display dialog box when input is received on a view versions option in said context menu for files.

36. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 35 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a data protection system version display dialog box, invoked by said name space extension and displayed in said screen display when click input is received on a folder or on a file not within said data protection system domain, wherein all versions of a selected file that are within said data protection system domain are displayed in said data protection system version display dialog box when input is received on a view versions option in said context menu for files.

37. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 36 herein said name space extension invokes said retrieve file component when input is received on a retrieve option displayed in said data protection system version display dialog box in said screen display.

38. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 29 wherein said data protection software further comprises:

a retrieve file component, wherein said retrieve file component controls said copying of said at least one file from said secondary storage device to said primary storage device, and further wherein said retrieve file component receives a database ID for said at least one file name and said file path, and reads said at least one file from said secondary storage device, and writes said at least one file to said primary storage device at an original source location for said at least one file.

39. The system for protecting, tracking, and retrieving data on a computer system according to claim 38 wherein said shell extension invokes said retrieve file component when input is received on a retrieve option displayed in said data protection system version display dialog box in said screen display.