System and method of in-place content management

An in-place content management system configured to support enterprise content management (ECM) system functionality with data residing on a New Technology File System (NTFS), the system comprising:

• memory;
• a network interface;
• a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, the processor configured to execute:
• a file manager stored in the memory, the file manager for receiving user file commands and outputting user file information;
• a file system, accessible via network, being the location where the files are stored and accessed;
• an active directory for managing permission access to the features of the in-place content management application, and for implementation of specific in-place content management permissions;
• one or more database to be configured and used for the storage of content management attributes associated with files accessed via the in-place content management system;
• an in-place content management module stored in the memory, the in-place content management system interface configured to receive user file commands from the file manager and translate the user file commands into content management commands for sending to the remote content management system via the network interface, the content management system interface further configured to receive remote file information from the remote content management system via the network interface and translate the remote file information into user file information for the file manager;
• wherein the in-place content management module is configured to support summaries, audit, versions, dispositions and permissions;
• wherein the in-place content management module is configured access to other file system actions, the other file system actions selected from a list consisting of add file, rename file, move file, and delete file;
• wherein the other file system actions only remain valid for the user possessing the requisite permissions, as confirmed by checking the “shadow copy” permissions, before the permissions were removed;
• wherein the in-place content management module is further configured to scan the file system, make a shadow copy of existing permissions on all files and folders in the file system, load a folder structure into a database so there is a record of the structure and the metadata associated with all files and folders, and change the file system permissions wherein all permissions except read-access are removed from all files and folders in the file system, while accessing permissions at the user level are not changed;
• wherein the in-place content management module provides an overlay on the file system such that content management functionality is provided without migrating files from the file system to a separate content management repository.