Methods and systems for managing data

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, a search is performed based on a search query of at least metadata of a first plurality of files and a set of a permissions is determined for a first user, wherein the set of permissions defines at least a right to view information. Results of the search are displayed based upon the set of permissions. In the metadata database, there is metadata from a number of files of different types. The type of information in metadata for a first type of file differs from a type of information in metadata for a second type of file.

1 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query from a first user;    performing a search, based on the search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;    displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user of an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         7 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query from a first user;    performing a search, based on the search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;    displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         8 . A medium as in  claim 7  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         9 . A medium as in  claim 7  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of a (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         10 . A medium as in  claim 7  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         11 . A medium as in  claim 7  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         12 . A medium as in  claim 7  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         13 . A data processing system comprising: 
 means for receiving a search query from a first user;    means for performing a search, based on the search, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    means for determining a set of permissions of the first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information;    means for displaying results of the search based upon the set of permissions, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 13  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         19 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query from a first user having a set of permissions defined relative to at least a set of files within a first plurality of files accessible on a data processing system;    performing a search using the search query wherein the search is not limited by the set of permissions of the first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first user has permission to access;    displaying information of the second set of files.    
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 19  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 19  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 19  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 19  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.  
     
     
         24 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a search query from a first user having a set of permissions defined relative to at least a set of files within a first plurality of files accessible on a data processing system;    performing a search using the search query wherein the search is not limited by the set of permissions of the first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first the first user has permission to access;    displaying information of the second set of files.    
     
     
         25 . A medium as in  claim 24  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         26 . A medium as in  claim 24  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         27 . A medium as in  claim 24  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         28 . A medium as in  claim 24  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.  
     
     
         29 . A data processing system comprising: 
 means for receiving a search query from a first user having a set of permissions defined relative to at least a set of files within a first plurality of files accessible on a data processing system;    means for performing a search using the search query wherein the search is not limited by the set of permissions of the first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    means for filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first user has permission to access;    means for displaying information of the second set of files.    
     
     
         30 . A system as in  claim 29  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         31 . A system as in  claim 29  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         32 . A system as in  claim 29  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         33 . A system as in  claim 29  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.  
     
     
         34 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a notification concerning at least one change of permissions information for at least one file;    updating a permissions cache in response to the notification, wherein the permissions cache is used to determine search results in response to a search query.    
     
     
         35 . A method as in  claim 34  wherein the updating comprises deleting, or marking for deletion, the permissions cache if any file has had its permissions changed.  
     
     
         36 . A method as in  claim 34  wherein the updating comprises replacing a portion of the permissions cache containing permissions information for files having had their permissions changed.  
     
     
         37 . A method as in  claim 35  wherein said deleting occurs even if said any files have not had any permissions information stored in the permissions cache.  
     
     
         38 . A method as in  claim 34  further comprising: 
 performing a search and finding a first file having not been cached in the permissions cache and updating the permissions cache to include permissions information for the first file; and wherein the notification is from a kernel of an operating system and is received by a database software component which updates the permissions cache.    
     
     
         39 . A machine readable medium providing executable instructions which when executed by a system cause the system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 receiving a notification concerning at least one change of permissions information for at least one file;    updating a permissions cache in response to the notification, wherein the permissions cache is used to determine search results in response to a search query.    
     
     
         40 . A medium as in  claim 39  wherein the updating comprises deleting, or marking for deletion, the permissions cache if any file has had its permissions changed.  
     
     
         41 . A medium as in  claim 39  wherein the updating comprises replacing a portion of the permissions cache containing permissions information for files having had their permissions changed.  
     
     
         42 . A medium as in  claim 40  wherein said deleting occurs even if said any files have not had any permissions information stored in the permissions cache.  
     
     
         43 . A medium as in  claim 39  further comprising: 
 performing a search and finding a first file having not been cached in the permissions cache and updating the permissions cache to include permissions information for the first file; and wherein the notification is from a kernel of an operating system and is received by a database software component which updates the permissions cache.    
     
     
         44 . A system comprising: 
 means for receiving a notification concerning at least one change of permissions information for at least one file;    means for updating a permissions cache in response to the notification, wherein the permissions cache is used to determine search results in response to a search query.    
     
     
         45 . A system as in  claim 44  wherein the means for updating comprises means for deleting, or marking for deletion, the permissions cache if any file has had its permissions changed.  
     
     
         46 . A system as in  claim 44  wherein the means for updating comprises means for replacing a portion of the permissions cache containing permissions information for files having had their permissions changed.  
     
     
         47 . A system as in  claim 45  wherein said deleting occurs even if said any files have not had any permissions information stored in the permissions cache.  
     
     
         48 . A system as in  claim 44  further comprising: 
 means for performing a search and finding a first file having not been cached in the permissions cache and updating the permissions cache to include permissions information for the first file; and wherein the notification is from a kernel of an operating system and is received by a database software component which updates the permissions cache.    
     
     
         49 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 determining whether a first file, which matches a search query, has permissions information stored in a permissions cache;    storing permissions information, for the first file, in the permissions cache in response to determining that the permissions information for the first file has not been stored in the permissions.    
     
     
         50 . A method as in  claim 49  further comprising: 
 determining a state of the permissions cache, wherein the state indicates whether the permissions cache includes valid permissions information.    
     
     
         51 . A method as in  claim 49  further comprising: 
 performing a search in response to the search query;    displaying results of the search; and wherein permissions information for a file having permissions information stored in the permissions cache is determined from the permissions cache without requesting a file system software component for the permissions information of the file.    
     
     
         52 . A machine readable medium providing executable program instructions which when executed cause a system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 determining whether a first file, which matches a search query, has permissions information stored in a permissions cache;    storing permissions information, for the first file, in the permissions cache in response to determining that the permissions information for the first file has not been stored in the permissions.    
     
     
         53 . A medium as in  claim 52 , the method further comprising: 
 determining a state of the permissions cache, wherein the state indicates whether the permissions cache includes valid permissions information.    
     
     
         54 . A medium as in  claim 52 , the method further comprising: 
 performing a search in response to the search query;    displaying results of the search; and wherein permissions information for a file having permissions information stored in the permissions cache is determined from the permissions cache without requesting a file system software component for the permissions information of the file.    
     
     
         55 . A system comprising: 
 means for determining whether a first file, which matches a search query, has permissions information stored in a permissions cache;    means for storing permissions information, for the first file, in the permissions cache in response to determining that the permissions information for the first file has not been stored in the permissions.    
     
     
         56 . A system as in  claim 55  further comprising: 
 means for determining a state of the permissions cache, wherein the state indicates whether the permissions cache includes valid permissions information.    
     
     
         57 . A system as in  claim 55  further comprising: 
 means for performing a search in response to the search query;    means for displaying results of the search; and wherein permissions information for a file having permissions information stored in the permissions cache is determined from the permissions cache without requesting a file system software component for the permissions information of the file.    
     
     
         58 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 performing a search, based on a search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    determining a set of permissions of a first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         59 . A method as in  claim 58  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         60 . A method as in  claim 58  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         61 . A method as in  claim 58  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         62 . A method as in  claim 58  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user of an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         63 . A method as in  claim 58  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         64 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 performing a search, based on the search query, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    determining a set of permissions of a first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         65 . A medium as in  claim 64  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         66 . A medium as in  claim 64  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of a (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         67 . A medium as in  claim 64  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         68 . A medium as in  claim 64  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         69 . A medium as in  claim 64  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         70 . A data processing system comprising: 
 means for performing a search, based on a search, of at least metadata of a first plurality of files;    means for determining a set of permissions of a first user, the set of permissions defining, at least a right to view information, wherein the type of information in metadata for files of a first type differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second type.    
     
     
         71 . A system as in  claim 70  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about a first set of files and metadata for the first set of files for which the first user does not have access to view and wherein the search is performed without regard to the set of permissions.  
     
     
         72 . A system as in  claim 70  wherein the set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access and (c) execute access, and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         73 . A system as in  claim 70  wherein the set of permissions is determined before the search is performed and wherein the search limits results to files and metadata which satisfy the set of permissions.  
     
     
         74 . A system as in  claim 70  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator and wherein the determining comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         75 . A system as in  claim 70  wherein, for at least some of the files in the first plurality of files, the first user can establish access permissions for an owner of each file and for a group of users.  
     
     
         76 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 performing a search using a search query wherein the search is not limited by a set of permissions of a first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first user has permission to access.    
     
     
         77 . A method as in  claim 76  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         78 . A method as in  claim 76  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         79 . A method as in  claim 76  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         80 . A method as in  claim 76  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.  
     
     
         81 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising: 
 performing a search using a search query wherein the search is not limited by a set of permissions of a first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first the first user has permission to access.    
     
     
         82 . A medium as in  claim 81  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         83 . A medium as in  claim 81  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         84 . A medium as in  claim 81  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         85 . A medium as in  claim 81  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.  
     
     
         86 . A data processing system comprising: 
 means for performing a search using a search query wherein the search is not limited by a set of permissions of a first user, the search producing a first set of files as matching the search query;    means for filtering, after the search, the first set of files with the set of permissions to produce a second set of files for which the first user has permission to access.    
     
     
         87 . A system as in  claim 86  wherein the set of permissions prevents the display of information about files in the first set of files which are not in the second set of files and wherein the filtering comprises examining data in a permissions cache.  
     
     
         88 . A system as in  claim 86  wherein the first user is identified by a name and wherein at least one other user comprises one of a super user or an administrator.  
     
     
         89 . A system as in  claim 86  wherein set of permissions includes permissions relating to at least one of (a) read only access; (b) read and write access; and (c) execute access and wherein the set of permissions for files created by the first user can be changed by the first user.  
     
     
         90 . A system as in  claim 86  wherein the first user is identified as the first user through a name and password.