Deletion in data file forwarding framework

• US 8,452,844 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Tajitshu Transfer LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Fein, Gene, Merritt, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US12/991,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/212
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for deletion in data file forwarding framework. A framework includes a network of interconnected computer system nodes in which data files are continuously forwarded from computer memory to computer memory without storing on any physical storage device in the network, a central server coupled to the network, and a deletion server coupled to the network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing system, a request from an authorized user to delete a particular data file being continuously forwarded among memories of computing devices within a network, wherein a plurality of data files comprising the particular data file are stored in the network by continuously forwarding the plurality of data files among memories of the computing devices without storing the plurality of data files on fixed storage mediums of the computing devices, wherein computing devices to which respective data files are forwarded are determined dynamically at computing devices receiving the respective data files based on statuses of respective computing devices and/or one or more statuses of the network;

searching, by the computing system, a data structure including information associated with respective data files of the plurality of data files for information associated with the particular data file;

determining, by the computing system, one or more memories storing the particular data file; and

transmitting, by the computing system, instructions to the computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories to discontinue forwarding of the particular data file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a computing system operated by the authorized user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computing system is operated by the authorized user that originally provided the particular data file for storage among the memories of the computing devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing information associated with the particular data file from the data structure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting instructions to the computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories to store other data files in memory locations occupied by the particular data file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with respective data files comprises file names for the respective data files.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

determining a hash mark for the particular data file; and

comparing the determined hash mark to hash marks associated with data files stored in memories of respective computing devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

determining a unique identifier of the particular data file; and

transmitting the unique identifier to at least some of the computing devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said determining further comprises:

determining a subset of the computing devices that are most likely to have the particular data file stored on respective memories; and

transmitting the unique identifier to only the subset of the computing devices.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a confirmation message from the computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories indicating that the particular data file has been deleted.

11. A non-signal computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions configured for execution by a computing system in order to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to delete a particular data file being continuously forwarded among memories of computing devices within a network, wherein a plurality of data files are stored by continuously forwarding the data files among memories of the computing devices without storing the data files on fixed storage mediums of the computing devices, wherein computing devices to which respective data files are forwarded are determined dynamically at computing devices receiving the respective data files based on statuses of respective computing devices and/or one or more statuses of the network;

searching a data structure including information associated with respective data files being continuously forwarded among memories of the network computing devices for information associated with the particular data file;

determining one or more memories storing the particular data file; and

transmitting instructions to the network computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories to not forward the particular data file.

12. The non-signal computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the request is received from a computing system that provided the particular data file for storage among the memories of the network computing devices.

13. The non-signal computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

removing information associated with the particular data file from the data structure.

14. The non-signal computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the information associated with respective data files comprises file names for the respective data files.

15. The non-signal computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein said determining comprises:

determining a unique identifier of the particular data file; and

transmitting the unique identifier to at least some of the network computing devices.

16. The non-signal computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a confirmation message from one or more computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories indicating that the particular data file has been deleted.

17. A computing system comprising:

a hardware processor configured to execute instructions;

a computer readable medium storing instructions readable by the processor in order to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request to delete a particular data file being continuously forwarded among memories of computing devices within a network, wherein the network stores a plurality of data files by continuously forwarding the data files among memories of the computing devices without storing the data files on a fixed storage medium of the computing devices, wherein computing devices to which respective data files are forwarded are determined dynamically at computing devices receiving the respective data files based on statuses of respective computing devices and/or one or more statuses of the network;

searching a data structure including information associated with respective data files being continuously forwarded among memories of the computing devices for information associated with the particular data file;

determining one or more memories storing the particular data file; and

transmitting instructions to the network computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories to not forward the particular data file.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the request is received from an authorized computing system operated by a user that provided the particular data file for storage among the memories of the network computing devices.

19. The computing system of claim 17, further comprising:

removing information associated with the particular data file from the data structure.

20. The computing system of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting instructions to the computing devices associated with the determined one or more memories to store other data files in memory locations occupied by the particular data file.