US 7,398,399 B2Granted

Apparatus, methods and computer programs for controlling performance of operations within a data processing system or network

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsSudarshan Palliyil, Shivakumara Venkateshamurthy, Tejasvi Aswathanarayana

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Abstract

Provided are methods, apparatus and computer programs for identifying matching resources (data files and executable files) within a data processing network, by comparison of hash values computed for each of a set of resources. A match between a newly computed hash value and a previously computed hash value for a resource indicates that the resource has not changed since the previous computation. A match between hash values for different resources indicates that they are identical. The result of the comparison can be used to determine whether a virus scan is currently required for a resource, on the basis that a resource which is unchanged since it was classified virus-free remains virus-free and a resource which is identical to a virus-scanned resource does not require duplication of the virus scan. The methods, apparatus and computer programs enable more efficient use of antivirus scanning or management of a backup copy process.

A method for controlling performance of operations in relation to a set of resources within a data processing network, the operations including a first operation, the method comprising the steps of:

computing a set of hash values representing a set of resources for which an operation has been performed;
storing the set of hash values;
in response to a requirement for performance of the operation, computing a new set of hash values representing the set of resources;
comparing the new hash values with the stored hash values for the set of resources to identify matches between new hash values and stored hash values;
determining that performance of the operation is not currently required for resources for which a match is identified between the respective new hash value and a stored hash value;
performing the operation for resources for which no match is identified between the new hash value and any stored hash value;
wherein the step of computing a new set of hash values comprises:
reading the set of resources from a first storage medium of a system in the data processing network into a second storage medium of the system, the second storage medium providing faster access than the first storage medium, wherein the computing of the new set of hash values accesses the set of resources read to the second storage medium and the method further comprises:
comparing each resource of the set of resources with a maximum size limit to identify a subset of the resources, wherein each resource of the subset is smaller than said size limit;
and
retaining said subset of resources within said second storage medium and
performing, for the subset of resources retained within said second storage medium, further operations on ones of the subset of resources, the further operations being selected from operations including:
making backup copies and transferring copies of the resources of the subset of resources to other systems.

10 more elements

Facts

Application

10/734,501Filed 12 Dec 2003

Published

US 2005/0132184 A116 Jun 2005

Granted

8 Jul 2008

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04L 63/1416
By monitoring network traffic: event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
G06F 21/56
Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures: computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
G06F 21/64
Protecting data: protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
H04L 63/123
Applying verification of the received information: received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

Claims13