System and methods for metadata management in content addressable storage

Abstract

Provided is a content addressable storage (CAS) system that allows a user to request, either through an application server or directly to one or more CAS servers, files and content related to a query. In some embodiments, the content can be discovered by searching previously-stored metadata related to each file at the content addressable storage server. The search can also be replicated across multiple content addressable storage servers in order to obtain varied results and redundant results. Duplicate results may be flagged or omitted, ˜d the results are returned to the requester.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for managing metadata in a content addressable storage system, comprising:
 receiving a file for storage at a content addressable storage server, the file comprises a header and data, and wherein the content addressable storage server stores and retrieves the data based on content of the data rather than with a hierarchical file system;   automatically obtaining with one or more computer processors metadata associated with the data from the header of the file;   storing the metadata in a metadata storage device, wherein the metadata is stored in association with the data stored in the content addressable storage server;   receiving a query from a requester for content at the content addressable storage server;   searching the metadata storage device for content related to the received query; and   when the metadata associated with the file is indicated by the query:
 retrieving the file stored in the content addressable storage; and 
 sending the retrieved file to the requester. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending the query to a second content addressable storage server;   receiving one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage server; and   sending to the requester the retrieved file and the one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage server.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending the query to a second content addressable storage server;   receiving one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage server; and   determining whether any of the retrieved file and the one or more files received from the second content addressable storage server are duplicates.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending to the requester one or more files that are not duplicates.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content addressable storage server stores DICOM images and the metadata is related to the DICOM images. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 distributing the file and the metadata to a second content addressable storage server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 distributing the file and the metadata to a plurality of content addressable storage servers in a hierarchical fashion.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending the query to the plurality of content addressable storage servers, based on the metadata;   receiving one or more files related to the query from the plurality of content addressable storage servers; and   sending to the requester the retrieved file and the one or more files related to the query from the plurality of content addressable storage servers.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method for managing metadata  1 D a content addressable storage system, comprising:
 receiving one or more files for storage at a content addressable storage server, wherein each of the one or more files comprises a header and data, and wherein the content addressable storage server stores and retrieves the data based on content of the data rather than with a hierarchical file system;   automatically obtaining with one or more computer processors metadata associated with the data from the header of each of the one or more files;   storing the metadata in a metadata storage device, wherein the metadata is stored in association with the data stored in the content addressable storage server;   receiving a first query from a requester for content at an application server;   searching locally at the application server for one or more files related to the first query;   sending a second query, related to the first query, to the content addressable storage server;   receiving one or more files related to the second query from the content addressable storage server; and   sending to the requester the one or more files found locally based on the first query and the one or more files received from the content addressable storage server based on the second query.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining whether any of the one or more files found locally based on the first query and the one or more files received from the content addressable storage server based on the second query are duplicates.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending to the requester one or more files that are not duplicates.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:
 sending the second query to a second content addressable storage server;   receiving one or more files related to the second query from the second content addressable storage server; and   sending to the requester the one or more files received from the second content addressable storage server based on the second query.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the content addressable storage server stores DICOM images and the metadata is related to the DICOM images. 
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented system for managing metadata in a content addressable storage system, comprising:
 a content addressable storage system configured to:
 receive a file for storage, said file to be stored using content addressable storage; 
 store metadata associated with the file in a storage mechanism for storing metadata for content addressable storage; 
 receive a query from a requester for content; 
 search the metadata storage mechanism for content related to the received query; and 
 when the metadata associated with the file is indicated by the query:
 retrieve the file stored in the content addressable storage; and 
 send the retrieved file to the requester. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the content addressable storage system is further configured to:
 send the query to a second content addressable storage system;   receive one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage system; and   send to the requester the retrieved file and the one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage system.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the content addressable storage system is further configured to:
 send the query to a second content addressable storage system;   receive one or more files related to the query from the second content addressable storage system; and   determine whether any of the retrieved file and the one or more files received from the second content addressable storage system are duplicates.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the content addressable storage system is further configured to:
 send to the requester one or more files that are not duplicates.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the content addressable storage system stores DICOM images and the metadata is related to the DICOM images.