Data storage reclamation systems and methods

A reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

• performing a potential reclamation identification process, wherein the potential reclamation identification process includes determining if there is the potential for reclaiming storage resources;
• performing a reclamation process, wherein reclamation is performed on storage resources identified by the potential reclamation identification process as being eligible for reclamation, and wherein the storage resources correspond to free space associated with a data file;
• and
• performing a valid free space indication process, wherein a valid free space indication process includes forwarding a valid free space indication recognizable to an application as a valid free space indication in place of data contained in a storage resource reclaimed by the reclamation process when the application attempts to direct a read to the storage resource reclaimed by the reclamation process, and wherein a valid free space indication is other than a repeated zero pattern.

A computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer readable storage media and executing computer readable code which causes the computer system to perform operations including:

• performing a potential reclamation identification process, wherein the potential reclamation identification process includes determining if there is the potential for reclaiming storage resources;
• performing a reclamation process, wherein reclamation is performed on storage resources identified by the potential reclamation identification process as being eligible for reclamation, and wherein the storage resources correspond to free space associated with a data file;
• and
• performing a valid free space indication process, wherein a valid free space indication process includes forwarding a valid free space indication recognizable to an application as a valid free space indication in place of data contained in a storage resource reclaimed by the reclamation process when the application attempts to direct a read to the storage resource reclaimed by the reclamation process, and wherein a valid free space indication is other than a repeated zero pattern.