Method and system for managing storage on a shared storage space

• US 7,650,387 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, Frederick J., Foo, Ian, Stieglitz, Jeremy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer; Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eskandarnia; Arvin
• Application Number:
  US11/280,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 709/214
• US Class Current: 709/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A method, a system, a machine-readable medium, and an apparatus for managing storage on a shared storage space, for example, on an email server, are provided. A plurality of emails is compared. If the content of each of the plurality of emails is the same, then a single copy is stored on the email server. Further, each recipient of the plurality of emails is enabled access to the stored email via a link to the single copy. Additionally, one or more attachments of the plurality of emails are compared. If an attachment is the same in each of the plurality of emails, then it is stored as a single copy. Further, a link is inserted in each of the plurality of emails, enabling access to the attachment from the single copy.

Claims

1. A method for managing storage on an email server, the method comprising:

comparing content of a plurality of emails to pre-existing data, wherein the content comprises both content from the bodies of the emails and any attachments of the emails, and wherein the comparing is performed even if the bodies of the plurality of emails are not the same;

if content of each of the plurality of emails is the same, then storing the plurality of emails as a single copy;

removing actual content from the plurality of emails if any pre-existing matches the content;

inserting a link to the pre-existing data if any pre-existing data matches the content; and

enabling each of the recipients of the plurality of emails to access the email via a link to the single copy, wherein the link is activated automatically when a given recipient accesses the email such that recipients are not aware that the pre-existing data is stored as a link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling each of the recipients of the plurality of emails to access the email comprises verifying the security authorizations of each of the recipients of the plurality of emails.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

comparing one or more attachments of the plurality of emails;

if an attachment is same in each of the plurality of emails, then storing a single copy of the attachment; and

inserting, in each of the plurality of emails, a link that enables access to the attachment from the single copy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emails are sent from a plurality of senders to one or more recipients, and wherein each of the plurality of emails is sent at a different time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emails is stored as a single copy, if the size of the email is within a pre-defined size limit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-defined size limit for the email is determined, based on at least one of:

the choice of the senders, the choice of the recipients, and conditions programmed into the email server by the administrator of the email server.

7. A system for managing storage on an email server, the system comprising:

a comparing module for comparing content of a plurality of emails to pre-existing data, wherein the content comprises both content from the bodies of the emails and any attachments of the emails, and wherein the comparing is performed even if the bodies of the plurality of emails are not the same;

a storing module for storing the plurality of emails as a single copy, the plurality of emails being stored as a single copy if each of the plurality of emails is the same; and

removing actual content from the plurality of emails if any pre-existing matches the content;

inserting a link to the pre-existing data if any pre-existing matches the content;

an access-enabling module for enabling each of the recipients of the plurality of emails to access the email via a link to the single copy, wherein the link is activated automatically when a given recipient accesses the email such that recipients are not aware that the pre-existing data is stored as a link.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the access-enabling module comprises a verification module for verifying the security authorizations of each of the recipients of the plurality of emails.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

an attachment-comparing module for comparing one or more attachments of the plurality of emails; and

a link-inserting module for inserting, in each of the plurality of emails, a link that enables access to the attachment from the single copy.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of emails are sent from one or more senders to one or more recipients.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of emails is stored as a single copy, if the size of the email is within a pre-defined size limit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the pre-defined size limit for the email is determined, based on at least one of:

the choice of the senders, the choice of the recipients, and conditions programmed into the email server by the administrator of the email server.

13. A machine-readable storage medium including instructions for managing storage on an email server, the storage medium comprising one or more instructions for:

comparing content of a plurality of emails to pre-existing data, wherein the content comprises both content from the bodies of the emails and any attachments of the emails, and wherein the comparing is performed even if the bodies of the plurality of emails are not the same;

storing the plurality of emails as a single copy, if content of each of the plurality of emails is the same;

removing actual content from the plurality of emails if any pre-existing matches the content;

inserting a link to the pre-existing data if any pre-existing matches the content; and

enabling each of the recipients of the plurality of emails to access the email via a link to the single copy, wherein the link is activated automatically when a given recipient accesses the email such that recipients are not aware that the pre-existing data is stored as a link.

14. An apparatus for managing storage on an email server, the apparatus comprising:

a processing system including a processor coupled to a display and user input device;

a machine-readable storage medium including instructions for managing storage on an email server, the storage medium comprising one or more instructions for;

comparing content of a plurality of emails to pre-existing data, wherein the content comprises both content from the bodies of the emails and any attachments of the emails, and wherein the comparing is performed even if the bodies of the plurality of emails are not the same;

storing the plurality of emails as a single copy, if content of each of the plurality of emails is the same;

removing actual content from the plurality of emails if any pre-existing matches the content;

inserting a link to the pre-existing data if any pre-existing data matches the content; and

enabling each of the recipients of the plurality of emails to access the email via a link to the single copy, wherein the link is activated automatically when a given recipient accesses the email such that recipients are not aware that the pre-existing data is stored as a link.