System and method for archival of messages in size-limited containers and separate archival of attachments in content addressable storage

• US 7,913,053 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Newland, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Choe; Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/058,614
• Time in Patent Office: 2,226 Days
• Field of Search: 711/161, 711/108, 711/172, 711/170, 709/204, 709/206, 709/217, 713/165, 714/20
• US Class Current: 711/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method for archival of messages in content addressable storage can be provided. The method can comprise identifying a plurality of messages for archival. The identified messages can be subjected to extraction of attachments therefrom. The messages, minus any removed attachments, can then be concatenated into a container file. Finally, the container file and the extracted attachments are stored in a content addressable storage system.

Claims

1. A method for archival of messages, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of messages for archival;

determining an attachment size relative to a threshold for each of a plurality of attachments to at least some of the plurality of messages;

extracting ones of the plurality of attachments that are determined to exceed the threshold from said plurality of messages;

creating a first container file;

concatenating a first portion of the plurality of messages into the first container file, wherein the first container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments;

determining that the first container file meets a size limit;

creating a second container file;

concatenating a second portion of the plurality of messages into the second container file, wherein the second container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments;

storing the first and second container files in a content addressable storage system; and

storing said extracted attachments in said content addressable storage system in files separate from the first and second container files.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of messages are single instanced prior to said step of identifying.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting attachments includes extracting all attachments greater in size than a predetermined threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting attachments includes appending a link to an extracted attachment in a header of a message from which said attachment is extracted.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking whether an extracted attachment has already been stored to said content addressable storage system and, if so, not storing the extracted attachment to the content addressable storage system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of messages include at least one email message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of messages include at least one instant message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the size limit is based on a physical volume limit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the size limit is based on a maximum number of messages.

10. A system for migration of stored data, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to implement;

a candidate identifier operable to identify messages for archival;

a message analyzer operable to determine an attachment size relative to a threshold for each of a plurality of attachments to at least some of the messages and to extract ones of the plurality of attachments that are determined to exceed the threshold from the messages;

a collator operable to create a plurality of container files and to concatenate the messages into one or more of the plurality of container files, wherein the plurality of container files comprises a first container file and a second container file, wherein the collator is operable to concatenate a first portion of the messages into the first container file until a size limit of the first container file is met, wherein the first container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments, wherein the collator is operable to concatenate a second portion of the messages into the second container file, and wherein the second container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments; and

a storage manager operable to store the container files in a content addressable storage system and to store said extracted attachments in said content addressable storage system in files separate from the first and second container files.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said message analyzer is operable to extract attachments from the messages if a predetermined size threshold is exceeded by an attachment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said message analyzer is operable not to extract attachments from the messages if the predetermined size threshold is not exceeded by an attachment.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said candidate identifier is operable to identify messages for archival from a stored set of single instanced messages.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said message analyzer is operable to include a link to an extracted attachment in a header of a message from which the attachment is extracted.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said storage manager is operable to check whether an extracted attachment has already been stored to said content addressable storage system and, if so, to not store the extracted attachment to the content addressable storage system.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said candidate identifier is operable to identify messages for archival from a stored set of messages including at least one email message.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said candidate identifier is operable to identify messages for archival from a stored set of messages including at least one instant message.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the size limit is based on a physical volume limit.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the size limit is based on a maximum number of messages.

20. A system for migration of stored data, the system comprising:

means for identifying messages for archival;

means for determining an attachment size relative to a threshold for each of a plurality of attachments to at least some of the messages;

means for extracting ones of the plurality of attachments that are determined to exceed the threshold from the messages;

means for creating a first container file and concatenating a first portion of the messages into the first container file, wherein the first container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments;

means for determining that the first container file meets a size limit;

means for creating a second container file and concatenating a second portion of the messages into the second container file, wherein the second container file excludes the extracted ones of the plurality of attachments; and

means for storing the first and second container files in a content addressable storage system and for storing said extracted attachments in said content addressable storage system in files separate from the first and second container files.