File Server WORM Commit Automation via Periodic Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file servers require manual user intervention to commit files to a write-once-read-many (WORM) committed state, which can be error-prone and does not automatically enforce data retention policies for regulatory compliance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for automatically committing files to a WORM state by maintaining a list of file identifiers and periodically scanning for files that have not been modified within a certain period, denying modification requests and committing files to the WORM state when the period expires, thereby ensuring data integrity and compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual user intervention is used to commit files to WORM state, then user control over file commitment is maintained, but the process is error-prone and does not automatically enforce data retention policies
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors file modification times and commits files to WORM state without requiring manual user intervention. The file server autonomously enforces retention policies by checking the last modified timestamp against the required retention period and automatically committing eligible files, eliminating human error in policy enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes retention policies and automatically monitors files for compliance. By proactively tracking file modification times and preemptively committing files before the retention period expires, the system ensures policy enforcement without requiring reactive manual intervention.
2Extent of automation
If automatic monitoring and scanning of files is implemented, then WORM commitment is automated and policy compliance is ensured, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic scanning of files rather than continuous monitoring. By scheduling regular intervals to check file modification times and commit eligible files, the system achieves automatic enforcement while reducing processing overhead compared to continuous real-time monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical operations (user clicking commit buttons) with automated electronic monitoring and decision-making. The file server uses automated timestamp comparison and policy evaluation logic to determine when files should be committed, eliminating the need for manual user actions.
3Reliability
If files are committed to WORM state after a certain period, then data authenticity and regulatory compliance are enhanced, but files cannot be modified even when updates are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines file commitment status based on the last modified timestamp and retention policy. Files automatically transition from modifiable state to WORM committed state only after the retention period expires, providing adaptability during the retention period and immutability afterward to ensure data authenticity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the retention period duration when files are created or modified. By pre-calculating the commitment timestamp based on the retention policy, the system ensures files remain modifiable during the required retention period while automatically becoming immutable afterward, balancing adaptability and authenticity.
Data Source
AI summary
For automatically committing a file of a file system to a WORM committed state when the file has not been modified for a certain period of time, a file server maintains a list of file identifiers and periodically scans the list to check whether or not the certain period of time has expired for each file on the list. If so, the file is committed to the WORM state. The file server also enforces an in-place lock in response to a client request to modify or delete a file when the certain period of time is found to have expired for the file. A minimum modify time and a maximum modified time are included in each entry of the list of file identifiers in order to skip entries and to reclaim memory of entries during the periodic scan.