Data Compression and Storage Techniques

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for use in data archiving. In one arrangement, compression techniques are provided wherein an earlier version of a data set (e.g., file folder, etc) is utilized as a dictionary of a compression engine to compress a subsequent version of the data set. This compression identifies changes between data sets and allows for storing these differences without duplicating many common portions of the data sets. For a given version of a data set, new information is stored along with metadata used to reconstruct the version from each individual segment saved at different points in time. In this regard, the earlier data set and one or more references to stored segments of a subsequent data set may be utilized to reconstruct the subsequent data set.

1 . A method for use in archiving/storing data, comprising:
 receiving a first data set;   compressing the first data set using a dictionary-based compression engine, wherein a first compressed file representing the first data set is generated;   storing the first compressed file; and   using the first compressed file to identify changes in a subsequent data set associated with the first data set.