Changed files list with time buckets for efficient storage management

Abstract

There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates generally to data file storage systems and, more particularly, to a changed files list with time buckets for efficient storage management.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Use of electronic data storage for long-term recordkeeping is increasing at an exponential rate. Much of this data is stored in file systems. Moreover, much of this data is write-once and is to be retained for long periods of time.

[0005] The most commonly used disk storage devices are cheap, but not free and certainly not perfectly reliable nor absolutely durable. Accordingly, there is a need to migrate data to cheaper and / or more reliable media, a need to backup data, and a need to make replicas.

[0006] The vast amounts of data and numbers of files maintained make manual management of data backup, replication, retention, and deletion burdensome, error prone, and impractical. Also, government regulations and business requirem...

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