Method, system, and program for personal data management using content-based replication
OwnerTamir Ram, Larry Kuboinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Data management systems and methods that can catalog, store, and protect data from hard disk failure on a mobile or stationary computer, using a computer program and a portable data storage device are provided. The program uses a combination message-digest and check-function based algorithm that can back up, manage, and protect data independent of specific computer operating system or file system. The program can check files for block-level content changes from previously stored data blocks and catalogs and stores only new data blocks. By storing only new data blocks and cataloging information within a comprehensive, backup archive composed of these blocks, the size of each backup is reduced.
Claims15
A system for managing data, said system comprising a processor, said processor configured to generate backup data by comparing data from files stored in memory to a previous version of the files stored in the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
- a) receive data from a data source to be managed, said data source comprising a plurality of different files;
- b) generate data blocks from said data;
- c) generate checksums of said data blocks;
- d) generate a message digest for each of said data blocks;
- e) store the data blocks for all of said plurality of files in a data block collection with corresponding checksums and message digests;
- f) for each of said plurality of different files, create a file descriptor that contains pointers to said data blocks in the data block collection comprising that file;
- g) receive data at a later time point from said data source comprising said plurality of different files;
- h) generate data blocks of said later received data;
- i) generate checksums of said later received data blocks;
- j) generate a message digest for each of said later received data blocks;
- k) for each later received data block generated, compare the checksum and message digest to the checksums and message digests in the data block collection;
- l) for files that only have data block content identical with previously stored data blocks, generate a backup file storing only a fingerprint, metadata, and pointers to identical blocks in the previously stored data block collection;
- m) for files that have non-identical, but overlapping data blocks with previously stored data blocks, generate a backup file storing:
- i) metadata and pointers to previously stored data blocks in common with the file;
- and ii) new data blocks that are added to the data block collection, along with pointers to the new data blocks;
- and
- n) for files that have no data blocks in common with previously stored data blocks, generate a backup file storing:
- i) file metadata;
- and ii) new data blocks that are added to the data block collection, along with pointers to the new data blocks.
A method of data management comprising the steps of:
- a) connecting a storage device to a computer housing a processor;
- b) initiating a data management process for managing a data source comprising a plurality of different files;
- c) receiving data, from said data source to be managed, into said processor;
- d) generating data blocks from said data for all of a plurality of files stored on said computer;
- e) generating checksums of said data blocks;
- f) generate a message digest for each of said data blocks;
- g) storing said data blocks for all of said plurality of files in a data block collection with corresponding checksums and message digests, with pointers indicating which of said data blocks is associated with individual files within said plurality of files;
- h) receiving data from said computer at later time point;
- i) generating data blocks of said later received data;
- j) generating checksums of said later received data blocks;
- k) generating a message digest for each of said later received data blocks;
- l) for each later received data block generated, comparing the checksum and message digest to the checksums and message digests in the data block collection;
- m) for files that only have data block content identical with previously stored data blocks, generating a backup file storing only a fingerprint, metadata, and pointers to identical blocks in the previously stored data block collection;
- n) for files that have non-identical, but overlapping data blocks with previously stored data blocks, generating a backup file storing:
- i) metadata and pointers to previously stored data blocks in common with the file;
- and ii) new data blocks that are added to the data block collection, along with pointers to the new data blocks;
- and
- o) for files that have no data blocks in common with previously stored data blocks, generating a backup file storing:
- i) file metadata;
- and ii) new data blocks that are added to the data block collection, along with pointers to the new data blocks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.