Managing finite data storage utilizing preservation weights

Abstract

A temporal data store includes one or more data groups in an online archive or snapshot systems. Each data group in turn includes a plurality of members, data of each of which is preserved in a finite data storage having a fixed, predetermined storage capacity. Each data group further has associated therewith a time point, and each member of each data group has associated therewith a preservation weight. Upon detecting that finite data storage consumption has reached a first level, then for each member in order of increasing preservation weight beginning with the one or more members having the lowest preservation weight, successively deleting each member in increasing chronological order beginning with the oldest member first, until the finite data storage consumption has reached a second lower level. Each member of the data group may include a snapshot or a backup.

1 . An invention comprising a method of managing finite data storage used to store data of snapshots, each snapshot having associated therewith a snapshot time and a preservation weight, the method comprising the step of, upon detecting that consumption of the finite data storage has reached a first level, then successively deleting snapshots as a function of the preservation weights and snapshot times until the finite data storage consumption has reached a second level.  
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of managing a collection of snapshots of the same object, each snapshot being taken at a different point in time and having data preserved in a finite data storage, by deleting the oldest snapshot of the collection upon the addition of a new snapshot to the collection when the number of snapshots in the collection exceeds a predetermined maximum number.  
     
     
         3 . A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         4 . A computer configuration comprising computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . The computer configuration of  claim 4 , wherein the method is automatically performed by a computer without user intervention.  
     
     
         6 . An invention comprising a method of managing finite data storage used to store backups, each backup having associated therewith a backup time and a preservation weight, the method comprising the step of, upon detecting that consumption of the finite data storage has reached a first level, then successively deleting backups as a function of the preservation weights and backup times until the finite data storage consumption has reached a second level.  
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of managing a collection of backups of the same source, each backup being made at a different point in time and having data preserved in a finite data storage, by deleting the oldest backup of the collection upon the addition of a new backup to the collection when the number of backups in the collection exceeds a predetermined maximum number.  
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         9 . A computer configuration comprising computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         10 . The computer configuration of  claim 9 , wherein the method is automatically performed by a computer without user intervention.  
     
     
         11 . An invention comprising a method of managing finite data storage of a temporal data store comprising one or more data groups, each data group comprising a plurality of members, data of each of which is preserved in the finite data storage, each data group having associated therewith a time point and each member of each data group having associated therewith a preservation weight, the method comprising the step of, upon detecting that consumption of the finite data storage has reached a first level, then, in order of increasing preservation weight beginning with the one or more members having the lowest preservation weight, successively deleting each member in increasing chronological order beginning with the oldest member first, until the finite data storage consumption has reached a second level.  
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         13 . A computer configuration comprising computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for performing the method of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         14 . The computer configuration of  claim 13 , wherein the method is automatically performed by a computer without user intervention.  
     
     
         15 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein each member of each data group comprises a snapshot of an object.  
     
     
         16 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein a snapshot in each data group comprises a snapshot of the same object.  
     
     
         17 . The invention of  claim 16 , wherein each snapshot of the same object in the data groups is assigned the same preservation weight.  
     
     
         18 . The invention of  claim 16 , wherein the object comprises one of the group of a logical container, a computer-readable medium, a portion of a logical container, and a portion of a computer-readable medium.  
     
     
         19 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein each member of each data group comprises a backup of a source.  
     
     
         20 . The invention of  claim 1   9 , wherein a backup in each data group comprises a copy of the same source.  
     
     
         21 . The invention of  claim 20 , wherein each backup of the same source in the data groups is assigned the same preservation weight.  
     
     
         20 . The invention of  claim 20 , wherein the source comprises one of the group of a logical container, a computer-readable medium, a portion of a logical container, and a portion of a computer-readable medium.  
     
     
         22 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein the second level is less than the first level.  
     
     
         24 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein the second level is the same as the first level.  
     
     
         25 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein the second level is the threshold capacity of the finite data storage.  
     
     
         26 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein the first level is the effective capacity of the finite data storage.  
     
     
         27 . The invention of  claim 26 , wherein the effective capacity is approximately 90% of the maximum capacity of the finite data storage.  
     
     
         28 . The invention of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of sorting by time points and preservation weights all members, data of which is stored in the finite data storage.  
     
     
         29 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein each preservation weight is assigned from a predetermined range of preservation weights.  
     
     
         30 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein a member having the highest preservation weight of the predetermined range is excepted from said step of deleting.  
     
     
         31 . The invention of  claim 30 , further comprising deleting a member having the highest preservation weight of the predetermined range when all members of all data groups data of which is stored in the finite data storage have the highest preservation weight of the predetermined range and consumption of the finite data storage has exceeded the first level.  
     
     
         32 . The invention of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of returning an error message if all members of all data groups data of which is stored in the finite data storage have the highest preservation weight of the predetermined range and consumption of the finite data storage has exceeded the first level.  
     
     
         33 . The invention of  claim 32 , wherein the error message is a notification to a system administrator.  
     
     
         34 . The invention of  claim 9 , wherein the step of deleting comprises removing each respective member from the finite data storage.  
     
     
         35 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein the step of deleting comprises making each respective member capable of being overwritten.  
     
     
         36 . The invention of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of managing a collection of members, each member having data preserved in the finite data storage and each member belonging to a different data group, by deleting the oldest member of the collection upon the addition of a new member to the collection when the number of members of the collection exceeds a predetermined maximum number.