Electronic Message Storage via Attachment Deduplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current e-mail processing systems face storage inefficiencies due to redundant storage of identical file attachments, leading to increased storage requirements and administrative burdens, as they store each electronic message individually, including duplicates, which are not effectively addressed by existing archiving methods.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that decompose electronic messages into basic structures and file attachments, calculating unique identification values for each attachment, storing attachments only once, and referencing existing files, reducing redundancy by storing only references to attachments within the message structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic messages are stored individually with all file attachments, then message integrity and accessibility are maintained, but storage requirements increase significantly due to redundant attachments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments electronic messages into two distinct components: a message structure containing metadata and a pointer to a file attachment store. This segmentation allows the attachment store to be shared across multiple messages, eliminating redundancy while preserving individual message integrity through the pointer mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a file attachment store as an intermediary component that centralizes the storage of file attachments. This intermediary is accessed by multiple message structures through pointers, enabling efficient shared access to attachments without duplicating them across individual messages.
2Reliability
If identical file attachments are stored with each electronic message, then message completeness is ensured, but storage efficiency deteriorates due to repeated storage of identical content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges identical file attachments into a single centralized storage location. Multiple message structures share the same attachment through pointer references, combining what would otherwise be separate storage instances into one unified resource, thereby eliminating redundancy while maintaining message completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The file attachment store serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores file attachments for multiple different messages, provides shared access to identical attachments across messages, and maintains reference integrity through pointers. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between completeness and efficiency.
3Productivity
If existing archiving methods are used to store messages, then message archiving is achieved, but administrative burden and hardware costs increase due to continued redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automatic pointer management. When a message is archived, the system automatically creates or retrieves the appropriate pointer in the file attachment store, eliminating the need for manual intervention to manage attachment redundancy. The system handles its own optimization without administrative overhead.
4Adaptability or versatility
If each electronic message is stored as a separate file, then message independence is maintained, but storage space is wasted due to repeated file attachment content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional storage model (each message as a complete separate file) to a two-dimensional structure with message structures pointing to a centralized attachment store. This dimensional change allows efficient storage of multiple messages with shared attachments, reducing overall storage space while maintaining message independence through the pointer reference mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for the storage-efficient management of electronic messages, wherein a message that is to be managed is first received, the message is decomposed into a basic structure and file attachments contained in the message, a unique identification value is calculated for each file attachment, the file attachment is stored as a file with a respective identification value for which no file exists in the storage, or a reference counter of the file attachment for whose identification value a file already exists in the storage, is incremented, and the basic structure with references to the files in the storage, which references correspond to the file attachments originally contained in the message, is stored.