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

• US 6,839,721 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Schwols, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILTON, MONPLAISIR G
• Application Number:
  US09/759,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/2, 707/200, 707/202, 707/204, 714/6, 714/7, 711/162
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

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, wherein said existing file management software is native to the existing operating 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, wherein said secondary storage device contains at least one removable storage medium, wherein said at least one removable storage medium is assigned a unique identifier, comprising the steps of;

(c1) creating a globally unique identifier (GUID), wherein said GUID comprises 128 binary bits created from a current time and date from said computer system and a unique machine identifier copied from an electronic circuit of said computer system,

(c2) converting said GUID into a character string, and

(c3) assigning said character string as said unique identifier;

(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 graphic 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 of claim 1, wherein step (c2) further comprises the step of:

(c2a) converting said GUID into a character string by converting each hexadecimal digit of said GUID into a single character of said character string.

3. 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, wherein said existing file management software is native to the existing operating 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, 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 and further wherein each said at least one removable storage medium is assigned a unique identifier comprised of a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) wherein said GUID comprises 128 binary bits created from a current time and date from said computer system and a unique machine identifier copied from an electronic circuit of said computer system;

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; and

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.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said unique identifier further comprises a character for each hexadecimal digit within said globally unique identifier.

5. A method, comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a database to an existing operating system and to existing file management software on a computer system, wherein said existing file management software is native to the existing operating system;

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

(c) creating a globally unique identifier (GUID) for a removable storage medium, wherein said GUID comprises 128 binary bits created from a current time and date from said computer system and a unique machine identifier copied from an electronic circuit of said computer system;

(d) converting said GUID into a character string; and

(e) assigning said character string as said GUID for said removable storage medium;

(f) copying said at least one file from said primary storage device to said removable storage medium.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (d) further comprises the step of:

(d1) converting said GUID into said character string by converting each hexadecimal digit of said GUID into a single character of said character string.