Method and apparatus for managing access to stored objects based on retention policy

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor and memory;
• a storage controller in a storage device configured to determine, in response to a request received from a host whether to perform, at least one operation, the at least one operation involving, at least one object stored in the storage device, the object including data and metadata, the metadata including one or more values that indicate an earliest permitted deletion time for the at least one object, the metadata also including one or more other values that indicate a latest permitted access time for the at least one object, the storage controller including a processor and memory, the data including user and application data that includes one or more files, the one or more files including one or more blocks stored in the storage device, the metadata including one or more pointers that point to the one or more blocks, the metadata also including one or more other pointers that point to one or more other blocks stored in the storage device, the one or more other blocks including one or more additional pointers that point to one or more additional blocks of the one or more files;
• determining if the at least one operation involves reading at least in part the at least one object, and if the at least one operation involves reading then the storage controller is to examine the one or more other values to make a determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object based at least in part upon the one or more other values;
• and
• determining if a time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time, and if the time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time then the storage controller is to determine to permit and to request the reading of the at least one object.

An article comprising:

• memory storing instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:
• determining, by a storage controller in a storage device, in response to a request received from a host whether to perform, at least one operation, the at least one operation involving, at least one object stored in the storage device, the object including data and metadata, the metadata including one or more values that indicate an earliest permitted deletion time for the at least one object, the metadata also including one or more other values that indicate a latest permitted access time for the at least one object, the storage controller including a processor and the memory, the data including user and application data that includes one or more files, the one or more files including one or more blocks stored in the storage device, the metadata including one or more pointers that point to the one or more blocks, the metadata also including one or more other pointers that point to one or more other blocks stored in the storage device, the one or more other blocks including one or more additional pointers that point to one or more additional blocks of the one or more files;
• determining if the at least one operation involves reading at least in part the at least one object, and if the at least one operation involves reading then the storage controller is to examine the one or more other values to make a determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object based at least in part upon the one or more other values;
• and
• determining if a time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time, and if the time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time then the storage controller is to determine to permit and to request the reading of the at least one object.

A system comprising:

• a processor and memory;
• a storage controller in a storage device configured to determine, in response to a request received from a host, whether to perform, at least one operation, the at least one operation involving, at least one object stored in the storage device, the object including data and metadata, the metadata including one or more values that indicate an earliest permitted deletion time for the at least one object, the metadata also including one or more other values that indicate a latest permitted access time for the at least one object, the storage controller including a processor and memory, the data including user and application data that includes one or more files, the one or more files including one or more blocks stored in the storage device, the metadata including one or more pointers that point to the one or more blocks, the metadata also including one or more other pointers that point to one or more other blocks stored in the storage device, the one or more other blocks including one or more additional pointers that point to one or more additional blocks of the one or more files;
• and
• a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) including the storage device;
• determining if the at least one operation involves reading at least in part the at least one object, and if the at least one operation involves reading then the storage controller is to examine the one or more other values to make a determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object based at least in part upon the one or more other values;
• and
• determining if a time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time, and if the time at which the storage controller makes the determination of the latest permitted access time for the at least one object is prior to the latest permitted access time then the storage controller is to determine to permit and to request the reading of the at least one object.