FIFO Cache Reaping Using Birth Time for Policy-Driven Expiration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cache reaping systems based on last modification and/or created time struggle to enforce security policy updates by allowing frequently accessed and/or modified objects to remain in the local cache for long periods, despite permission changes or revocations at the cloud storage system.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a birth time-based FIFO cache reaping system where objects are associated with a static birth time upon entry, allowing for timely deletion based on a specified storage threshold, independent of access frequency, thereby ensuring security policy updates are enforced by promptly removing objects from the local cache.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional cache reaping systems use last modification and/or created time to manage cache objects, then frequently accessed and modified objects can remain in the local cache for long periods, but security policy updates cannot be enforced promptly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecache hit rateVSAvoidsecurity policy enforcement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the time parameter from last modification/created time to birth time (time of first insertion into cache). This parameter change enables the cache to track when an object was originally cached, allowing FIFO-based expiration that enforces security policies while maintaining performance for frequently accessed objects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If the local cache stores objects indefinitely to maintain availability, then access speed is improved, but security risks increase due to stale cached data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access speedVSAvoidsecurity risks from stale data

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by recording the birth time at the moment of first caching and continuously monitoring the time difference. This allows the system to proactively identify and remove stale objects before they pose security risks, while still allowing frequently accessed objects to remain in cache for performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously comparing the current time with the recorded birth time to calculate cache storage duration. When the duration exceeds the security threshold, the system automatically triggers object removal, creating a closed-loop security enforcement mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the cache reaps objects based on access frequency to optimize performance, then frequently accessed objects remain in cache, but security policy revocations are not enforced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetask execution speedVSAvoidsecurity policy adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of removing objects based on access frequency or modification time, the patent inverts the approach by removing objects based on their birth time (oldest objects first). This inversion ensures that security policy revocations are enforced regardless of access frequency, while still allowing performance optimization through FIFO ordering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12487943B2Systems and methods for birth time-based FIFO cache reaping

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 RELATIVITY ODA LLC

AI summary

Techniques for birth time-based first in, first out (FIFO) cache reaping are provided. A method includes obtaining an object to be stored in a cache; storing the object in the cache such that the object is associated with a birth time at which the storage occurred, wherein the birth time is constant as changes to the object are synchronized to the cache; calculating a cache storage time for the object based on the birth time for the object; determining that the cache storage time for the object exceeds a maximum cache storage threshold; and responsive to the determination, flagging the object for deletion from the cache.