Automated PST File Ownership Determination via Metadata Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for determining the ownership of .pst files are time-consuming and often inaccurate, making it difficult to associate email messages with the proper user during archival processes.
Innovation Solution
A method using a processor to determine the distribution of email messages within a file, select a preset number of messages, extract metadata, classify them as sent or received, analyze metadata to determine ownership, calculate statistics, and assign ownership based on those statistics, utilizing MAPI properties for classification and determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manual assignment methods are used to determine .pst file ownership, then the process can be performed with simple procedures, but it is time-consuming and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines ownership by analyzing email message metadata and distribution patterns within the .pst file, eliminating the need for manual administrator intervention. The automated process extracts sender/receiver information, classifies messages, and statistically determines ownership without human input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical processes with automated computational analysis. Instead of administrators manually reviewing files, the system uses processors to automatically extract metadata, analyze message distributions, and determine ownership through statistical algorithms.
2Measurement precision
If traditional file permission-based methods are used, then the system complexity is reduced, but ownership determination becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts relevant information (sender, receiver, message distribution) from the email messages themselves rather than relying on external permission settings. By taking out the actual ownership indicators from the message content and analyzing them statistically, the system achieves accurate ownership determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary analysis layer that processes email metadata as a mediator between the raw message data and the ownership determination. This intermediary layer classifies messages and calculates distribution statistics to bridge the gap between complex data and simple ownership assignment.
3Measurement precision
If automated analysis of all email messages is performed, then ownership determination accuracy is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system analyzes a representative sample of email messages rather than processing every single message in the .pst file. By selecting a preset number of messages for analysis, the system achieves sufficient accuracy without the computational burden of complete analysis, balancing precision with productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for determining ownership of files and/or email messages are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method including determining a distribution of a plurality of email messages within a file; selecting a preset number of email messages based on the determined distribution of the plurality of email messages within the file; extracting metadata from each of the preset number of email messages; classifying each of the preset number of email messages based on the extracted metadata; determining an owner of each of the preset number of email messages based on the classification of each email message by analyzing the metadata of each of the preset number of email messages; calculating statistics for the preset number of email messages based on the determined owner of each of the preset number of email messages; and assigning ownership to the file based on the calculated statistics.