Methods and apparatus for secure modification of a retention period for data in a storage system
First Claim
1. A method of processing data in a computer system comprising at least one host and at least one storage system, the method comprising acts of:
- (A) receiving, at the at least one storage system, a request from the at least one host to reduce a length of a previously defined retention period for a unit of data stored on the at least one storage system, wherein the request is received before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information;
(B) determining if the request is authentic based, at least in part, on the authentication information; and
(C) when it is determined in the act (B) that the request is not authentic, denying the request to reduce the retention period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment is a method and apparatus for modifying retention periods in a storage system, in which previously defined retention periods for units of data may be reduced. In another embodiment, the retention period of a unit of data may be modified in response to the occurrence of an event by renewing previously defined retention periods until the occurrence of the event is detected. If the occurrence of the event is detected, a retention period associated with that event may be established for the unit of data. In yet another embodiment, retention classes are used to define retention periods for units of data so that the retention period of a unit of data may be modified without modifying the unit of data itself. In a further embodiment, a request to the storage system to reduce a retention period includes authentication information that the storage system may use to verify the request.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of processing data in a computer system comprising at least one host and at least one storage system, the method comprising acts of:
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(A) receiving, at the at least one storage system, a request from the at least one host to reduce a length of a previously defined retention period for a unit of data stored on the at least one storage system, wherein the request is received before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information; (B) determining if the request is authentic based, at least in part, on the authentication information; and (C) when it is determined in the act (B) that the request is not authentic, denying the request to reduce the retention period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. At least one computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on a computer system, perform a method of processing data, the computer system comprising at least one host and at least one storage system, the method comprising acts of:
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(A) receiving, at the at least one storage system, a request from the at least one host to reduce a length of a previously defined retention period for a unit of data stored on the at least one storage system, wherein the request is received before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information; (B) determining if the request is authentic based, at least in part, on the authentication information; and (C) when it is determined in the act (B) that the request is not authentic, denying the request to reduce the retention period. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A storage system for use in a computer system, including the storage system and at least one host, the storage system comprising:
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at least one storage device to store a unit of data received from the at least one host; and at least one controller adapted to; receive a request from the at least one host to reduce a length of a previously defined retention period for the unit of data before the retention period for the unit of data has expired, wherein the request includes authentication information; determine if the request is authentic based, at least in part, on the authentication information; and when it is determined that the request is not authentic, deny the request to reduce the retention period. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of processing data in a computer system comprising at least one host and at least one storage system, wherein the at least one storage system stores a unit of data having a previously defined retention period during which the at least one unit of data is to be retained on the at least one storage system, the method comprising acts of:
(A) providing to the at least one storage system a request, from the at least one host, to reduce a length of the previously defined retention period for the unit of data, wherein the request is provided before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information to enable the at least one storage system to authenticate the request. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. At least one computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on a computer system, perform a method of processing data, the computer system comprising at least one host and at least one storage system, wherein the at least one storage system stores a unit of data having a previously defined retention period during which the at least one unit of data is to be retained on the at least one storage system, the method comprising acts of:
(A) providing to the at least one storage system a request, from the at least one host, to reduce a length of the previously defined retention period for the unit of data, wherein the request is provided before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information to enable the at least one storage system to authenticate the request. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A host computer for use in a computer system that includes the host computer and at least one storage system that stores, for the host computer, a unit of data having a previously defined retention period during which the at least one unit of data is to be retained on the at least one storage system, the host computer comprising:
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at least one storage device; and at least one controller, coupled to the at least one storage device, that is adapted to provide to the at least one storage system a request to reduce a length of the previously defined retention period for the unit of data, wherein the request is provided before the retention period for the unit of data has expired and includes authentication information to enable the at least one storage system to authenticate the request. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification