Systems and methods for electronic data storage management

A programmed computer system for replacing a plurality of identical copies of a particular set of electronic data with a single complete copy of said data, comprising:

• means for identifying a plurality of physical storage locations of identical copies of a particular set of electronic data;
• means for storing a zero length file at all but one of the plurality of physical storage locations of the identical copies of a particular set of electronic data;
• means for redirecting a computer operating system from the location of a zero length file representing an eliminated duplicate identical copy of said particular set of electronic data to the location of the remaining copy of said particular set of electronic data;
• means for the operating system to access the particular set of electronic data physically stored at the location of the remaining copy of the particular set of electronic data as if the data was stored at the location of one of the zero length files representing one or more of the eliminated duplicate identical copies.

A method for managing electronic data storage comprising the steps:

• physically moving one or more bytes of electronic data from a source location recognized by a computer operating system and by one or more application software programs to a new destination storage location on the same or other electronic data storage device;
• communicating the new destination storage location of the electronic data to the computer operating system;
• translating the new destination storage location of the electronic data to one or more application software programs so that said application software programs do not detect any change in the location of the electronic data;
• preparing requests by application software programs to the operating system to access said electronic data as if said electronic data is located at the source storage location;
• redirecting the operating system from the source electronic data storage location to the new destination storage location in order to provide the operating system with access to the electronic data at the new destination storage location.

A method for replacing a plurality of identical copies of a particular set of electronic data with a single complete copy of said data, comprising the steps:

• identifying a plurality of physical storage locations of identical copies of a particular set of electronic data;
• storing a zero length file at all but one of the plurality of physical storage locations of the identical copies of a particular set of electronic data;
• redirecting a computer operating system from the location of a zero length file representing an eliminated duplicate identical copy of said particular set of electronic data to the location of the remaining copy of said particular set of electronic data;
• accessing the particular set of electronic data physically stored at the location of the remaining copy of the particular set of electronic data by the operating system as if the data was stored at the location of one of the zero length files representing one or more of the eliminated duplicate identical copies.