Selecting storage cloud for storage of entity files from plurality of storage clouds

• US 9,396,208 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fukui, Yuto, Furuichi, Sanehiro, Tada, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAM LINH T
• Application Number:
  US13/926,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20140006350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 707/632
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/192 Implementing virtual folder structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing

Abstract

A technique to enable the user of storage clouds to use of a plurality of storage clouds without the user of storage clouds being aware of which data is being entrusted to which storage cloud and without sacrificing safety or ease-of-use by selecting at least one storage cloud to store an entity file storable in a cloud-utilizing terminal from among a plurality of storage clouds connected via a network to the cloud-utilizing terminal. This technique includes referencing the attributes or context of an entity file, or the attributes of a virtual folder and each attribute of a plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation or update of the entity file in the virtual folder in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and selecting at least one storage cloud from among a plurality of storage clouds for storing the entity file so as to satisfy predefined rules.

Claims

1. A cloud-utilizing terminal coupled to a plurality of storage clouds via a network, the cloud-utilizing terminal comprising a processor and memory having instructions executable by the processor to perform steps of:

generating at least one virtual folder displaying links associated with entity files stored in each storage cloud of the plurality of storage clouds;

referencing attributes of a first entity file of the entity files, attributes of a first virtual folder of the at least one virtual folder and attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation or update of the first entity file in the first virtual folder in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the selected storage cloud; and

displaying in the first virtual folder a link to the first entity file uploaded to the selected storage cloud, wherein a plurality of synchronizing folders associated respectively with the plurality of storage clouds is also provided in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and the first entity file generated or stored in the first virtual folder is moved from the first virtual folder to a synchronizing folder of the plurality of synchronizing folders associated with the selected storage cloud.

2. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising referencing attributes of a second entity file of the entity files, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation of the second entity file different from the first entity file in the first virtual folder of the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select another storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the second entity file so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the second entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the another storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal; and

displaying a link to the uploaded second entity file in the first virtual folder.

3. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, comprising further instructions executable by the processor to perform steps of:

referencing the attributes of the first entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to at least one of (i) the elapsing of a predetermined amount of time and (ii) a request from a user, and re-selecting at least one storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the re-selected storage cloud re-selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal in response to the re-selected storage cloud being different from the selected storage cloud; and

changing a destination of the link from the selected storage cloud to the re-selected storage cloud.

4. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, comprising further instructions executable by the processor to perform steps of:

referencing the attributes of the first entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to at least one of (i) the importance of the content of the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal, (ii) the document status, and (ii) the document owner, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a second storage cloud different from the selected storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds; and

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the second storage cloud, or distributed from the selected storage cloud to the second storage cloud.

5. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, comprising further instructions executable by the processor to perform steps of:

referencing the attributes of a second entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation of the second entity file different from the first entity file in the first virtual folder of the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select another storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the second entity file so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the second entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the another storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal; and

displaying a link to the uploaded second entity file in the first virtual folder.

6. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 5, wherein the another storage cloud is different from the selected storage cloud.

7. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a file has changed in any of the plurality of synchronizing folders;

referencing the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to a change in the file, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select another storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

moving the file in the synchronization folder associated with the selected storage cloud to another synchronization folder associated with the another storage cloud;

responsive to moving the file to the another synchronization folder, uploading the file to the another storage cloud; and

changing the link in the first virtual folder from the synchronization folder associated with the storage cloud to the another synchronization folder associated with the another storage cloud.

8. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the entity file is deleted from the cloud-utilizing terminal in response to the uploading of the entity file to the selected storage cloud.

9. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the entity file generated or stored in the first virtual folder is deleted in response to the link to the uploaded entity file being displayed in the first virtual folder.

10. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the attributes of the entity file include at least one attribute among a file name, a file format, presence of compression and a compression format, presence of encryption and an encryption method, a file size, a label, the creation date, a most recent revision date, a data type including the text content, image content, and video content, an importance of the content, a creator or administrator, and a most recent reviser of the data.

11. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the attributes of the first virtual folder include at least one attribute among the use of a file stored in the first virtual folder, a file format, an expiration date, a presence of a password for accessing the first virtual folder, a presence of sharing of the first virtual folder with other users, an ability to create subfolders, a presence of virtual folder encryption, the creator or administrator, users able to access the folder, security, and a password.

12. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds include at least one attribute among the service period, availability, stability, performance, redundancy, location of the storage cloud, billing system, monthly fee or capacity fee, capacity limit, file storage expiration data, contract period, number of connectable clients, number of contracted users, evaluation ranking by a third-party organization, data format system for support, access control system, recovery time objectives, guaranteed response time, security or security level, inspection, and multi-tenancy.

13. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the attributes of the entity file, and the attributes of each storage cloud are periodically revised.

14. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, wherein the cloud-utilizing terminal further executes the step of referencing the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the first entity file to be created or stored in the first virtual folder, in response to the attributes of the first virtual folder, and determining whether or not the first entity file may be created or stored in the first virtual folder.

15. The cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 1, comprising further instructions executable by the processor to perform steps of:

Periodically sending a test file to, and receiving the test file from, each of the plurality of storage clouds to determine at least some of the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program operable for selecting at least one storage cloud to store an entity file storable in a cloud-utilizing terminal from among a plurality of storage clouds connected via a network to the cloud-utilizing terminal, the cloud-utilizing terminal having at least one virtual folder displaying links associated with entity files stored in each storage cloud of the plurality of storage clouds, the computer program comprising instructions for causing the cloud-utilizing terminal to perform, when the computer program is executed by the cloud-utilizing terminal, to perform steps of:

referencing attributes of a first entity file of the entity files, attributes of a first virtual folder of the at least one virtual folder and attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response the creation or update of the first entity file in the first virtual folder in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds; and

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the selected storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal, and displaying a link to the uploaded first entity file in the first virtual folder, wherein a plurality of synchronizing folders associated respectively with the plurality of storage clouds is also provided in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and the first entity file generated or stored in the first virtual folder is moved from the first virtual folder to a synchronizing folder of the plurality of synchronizing folders associated with the selected storage cloud.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising steps of:

referencing the attributes of the first entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to at least one of (i) the elapsing of a predetermined amount of time and (ii) a request from a user, and re-selecting at least one storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the re-selected storage cloud re-selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal in response to the re-selected storage cloud being different from the selected storage cloud; and

changing a destination of the link from the selected storage cloud to the re-selected storage cloud.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising steps of:

referencing the attributes of the first entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to at least one of (i) the importance of the content of the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal, (ii) the document status, and (ii) the document owner, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a second storage cloud different from the selected storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds; and

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the second storage cloud, or distributed from the selected storage cloud to the second storage cloud.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising steps of:

referencing the attributes of a second entity file, the attributes of the first virtual folder and the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation of the second entity file different from the first entity file in the first virtual folder of the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select another storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the second entity file so as to satisfy the predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the second entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the another storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal; and

displaying a link to the uploaded second entity file in the first virtual folder.

20. A cloud-utilizing terminal according to claim 19, wherein the another storage cloud is different from the selected storage cloud.

21. The computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether a file has changed in any of the plurality of synchronizing folders;

referencing the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to a change in the file, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select another storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

moving the file in the synchronization folder associated with the selected storage cloud to another synchronization folder associated with the another storage cloud;

responsive to moving the file to the another synchronization folder, uploading the file to the another storage cloud; and

changing the link in the first virtual folder from the synchronization folder associated with the storage cloud to the another synchronization folder associated with the another storage cloud.

22. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the entity file is deleted from the cloud-utilizing terminal in response to the uploading of the entity file to the selected storage cloud.

23. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program operable for managing using at least one virtual folder an entity file able to be stored in a storage cloud by a cloud-utilizing terminal connectable to a storage cloud via a network and is operable to display a link associated with an entity file stored in each storage cloud of a plurality of storage clouds, the computer program comprising instructions for causing the cloud-utilizing terminal to perform, when the computer program is executed by the cloud-utilizing terminal, steps of:

referencing attributes of a first entity file, attributes of a first virtual folder of the at least one virtual folder and attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation or update of the first entity file in the first virtual folder in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the selected storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal; and

creating a first link to the uploaded first entity file, and displaying the created first link in the first virtual folder, the first entity file being deleted from the first virtual folder, wherein a plurality of synchronizing folders associated respectively with the plurality of storage clouds is also provided in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and the first entity file generated or stored in the first virtual folder is moved from the first virtual folder to a synchronizing folder of the plurality of synchronizing folders associated with the selected storage cloud.

24. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program operable for managing using at least one virtual folder an entity file able to be stored in a storage cloud by a cloud-utilizing terminal connectable to a storage cloud via a network and is operable to display a link associated with an entity file stored in each storage cloud of the plurality of storage clouds, the computer program comprising instructions for causing the cloud-utilizing terminal to perform, when the computer program is executed by the cloud-utilizing terminal, steps of:

referencing context of a first entity file, the attributes of a first virtual folder of the at least one virtual folder and attributes of the plurality of storage clouds, in response to the creation or update of the first entity file in the first virtual folder in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and using the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds to select a storage cloud from the plurality of storage clouds for storing the first entity file so as to satisfy predefined rules associated with the attributes of the plurality of storage clouds;

uploading the first entity file in the cloud-utilizing terminal to the selected storage cloud selected by the cloud-utilizing terminal; and

creating a first link to the uploaded first entity file, and displaying the created first link in the first virtual folder, the first entity file being deleted from the first virtual folder, wherein a plurality of synchronizing folders associated respectively with the plurality of storage clouds is also provided in the cloud-utilizing terminal, and the first entity file generated or stored in the first virtual folder is moved from the first virtual folder to a synchronizing folder of the plurality of synchronizing folders associated with the selected storage cloud.