Automated data purge in an electronic discovery system

• US 9,361,304 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Hobart, Eric B., Whalen, John N., Richardson, Michael J., Hudson, Kellie H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Saba
• Application Number:
  US13/901,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20140351201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 707/603
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for automated data purge in an e-discovery system. The automated data purge process determines files within an e-discovery file system that qualify for purging based on one or more purge policies, locates the files within the file system and automatically purges the data from the file system. Additional embodiments provide for automatically creating log entries that track the details of the purge and automatically generating and communicating alerts/messages that notify concerned parties of the data purge. As such the present invention is able to accurately and automatically purge data from an electronic discovery file system and provide for detailed purge data tracking, as well as, purge notification.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automated data purge in an electronic discovery (e-discovery) system, the apparatus comprising:

a computing platform including a memory and at least one processor in communication with the memory;

a data purge application stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to;

determine one or more purge-eligible e-discovery cases by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with predetermined purge criteria to determine one or more purge-eligible cases,

determine (1) files within an e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging based on identified purge policies, wherein the purge policies include at least (i) purging e-discovery work product data based on an associated case being closed, (ii) purging all data associated with a closed case after a predetermined period of time, and (iii) purging data stored at an external repository after a predetermined period of time commencing from a date, and (2) storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with the purge policies,

determine replicated source data files within the e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning an e-discovery system file directory to identify the replicated source data files that qualify for purging based on the one or more identified purge policies,

purge data from (1) the storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files, and (2) the replicated source data files, and

in response to purging the data, automatically (1) update the e-discovery file system to reflect that the data has been purged by creating a purge entry in a file system log that includes details of the data purge, and (2) update metadata that is stored in an e-discovery system metadata database and associated with the purged files, to indicate that the data has been purged and is no longer accessible.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data purge application is further configured to determine replicated source data files within the e-discovery file that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning the e-discovery system directory by folder name to identify folders having a predetermined naming convention.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data purge application is further configured to determine the files that qualify for purging based on the identified purge policies and one or more exceptions to the purge policies.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data purge application is further configured to create the purge entry, wherein the purge entry includes identification of the data purged, date and time of data purge, identification of purge policy applied, and file system location of data purged.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data purge application is further configured to, in response to purging the data, generate and initiate communication of a purge alert that notifies recipients of one or more of an identity of the data purged, a time at which the data was purged, an amount of data purged, an amount of storage capacity reclaimed.

6. A method for automated data purge in an electronic discovery (e-discovery) system, the method comprising:

identifying purge policies to apply to current data purge processing, wherein the purge policies include at least (i) purging e-discovery work product data based on an associated case being closed, (ii) purging all data associated with a closed case after a predetermined period of time, and (iii) purging data stored at an external repository after a predetermined period of time;

executing, by a computing device processor, the current data purge processing including;

determining one or more purge-eligible e-discovery cases by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with predetermined purge criteria to determine one or more purge-eligible cases,

determining (1) files within an e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging based on the identified purge policies, and (2) storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with the purge policies,

determining replicated source data files within the e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning an e-discovery system file directory to identify the replicated source data files that qualify for purging based on the one or more identified purge policies, and

purging data from (1) the storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files, and (2) the replicated source data files; and

in response to purging the data, automatically (1) updating the e-discovery file system to reflect that the data has been purged by creating a purge entry in a file system log that includes details of the data purge, and (2) updating metadata that is stored in an e-discovery system metadata database and associated with the purged files, to indicate that the data has been purged and is no longer accessible.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the replicated source data files further comprises determining the replicated source data files within the e-discovery file that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning, by the computing device processor, the e-discovery system directory by folder name to identify folders having a predetermined naming convention.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising identifying one or more exceptions to the one or more identified purge policies and wherein determining files further comprises determining the files that qualify for purging based on the identified purge policies and the one or more exceptions.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein creating the purge entry in the file system log further comprises creating the purge entry, wherein the purge entry includes identification of the data purged, date and time of data purge, identification of purge policy applied, and file system location of data purged.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein executing the current purge processing further includes, in response to purging the data, generating and initiation communication of a purge alert that notifies recipients of one or more of an identity of the data purged, a time at which the data was purged, an amount of data purged, an amount of storage capacity reclaimed.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to determine one or more purge-eligible e-discovery cases by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with predetermined purge criteria to determine one or more purge-eligible cases;

a second set of codes for causing a computing processor to determine files within an e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging based on identified purge policies by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with the purge policies, wherein the purge policies include at least (i) purging e-discovery work product data based on an associated case being closed, (ii) purging all data associated with a closed case after a predetermined period of time, and (iii) purging data stored at an external repository after a predetermined period of time;

a third set of codes for causing a computing processor to determine storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files by querying an e-discovery system metadata database with the purge policies;

a fourth set of codes for causing a computer to determine replicated source data files within the e-discovery file system that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning an e-discovery system file directory to identify the replicated source data files that qualify for purging based on the one or more identified purge policies;

a fifth set of codes for causing a computing processor to purge data from (1) the storage locations within the e-discovery file system associated with the files, and (2) the replicated source data files; and

a sixth set of codes for causing a computing processor to, in response to purging the data, automatically (1) update the e-discovery file system to reflect that the data has been purged by creating a purge entry in a file system log that includes details of the data purge, and (2) update metadata that is stored in an e-discovery system metadata database and associated with the purged files, to indicate that the data has been purged and is no longer accessible.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the fourth set of codes is further configured to determine the replicated source data files within the e-discovery file that are associated with the purge-eligible cases and qualify for purging by scanning the e-discovery system file directory by folder name to identify folders having a predetermined naming convention.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the second of codes is further configured to determine the files that qualify for purging based on one or more identified purge policies and one or more exceptions to the identified purge policies.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the sixth set of codes is further configured to cause the computer processor to create the purge entry, wherein the purge entry includes identification of the data purged, date and time of data purge, identification of purge policy applied, and file system location of data purged.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program code further comprises a seventh set of codes configured to cause a computing processor to, in response to purging the data, generate and initiate communication of a purge alert that notifies recipients of one or more of an identity of the data purged, a time at which the data was purged, an amount of data purged, an amount of storage capacity reclaimed.