# US 8,751,768 B2 · Data storage reclamation systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,768 B2 - Document ID: US8751768B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/098,294 - Filed: 2011-04-29 - Published: 2012-11-01 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-29 - Assignees: Symantec Corporation - Applicants: Ragupathi Malige; Ryan Robert Lefevre; Edwin Frederick Menze, III; Sunil Kumar Tekkatte Subramanya - Inventors: Ragupathi Malige; Ryan Robert Lefevre; Edwin Frederick Menze, III; Sunil Kumar Tekkatte Subramanya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751768B2 ## CPC - G06F 12/02: Addressing or allocation; Relocation (program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00) - G06F 3/0608: {Saving storage space on storage systems} - G06F 3/064: {Management of blocks} - G06F 3/0689: {Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD} - G06F 12/023: {Free address space management} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Storage systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a storage reclamation method comprises 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 when the application attempts to direct a read to the storage spaces reclaimed by the reclamation process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage reclamation 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the valid free space indication is application specific. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the reclaimed storage resources are marked with an application fill on demand indicator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the valid free space indication is a repeatable bit pattern and wherein zeros are not recognizable by the application as valid free space indications. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the valid free space indication generated by the valid free space indication process is based upon the location of the storage resource. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the application is a database. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The storage reclamation method of claim 1 wherein the reclamation process includes resolving in flight input and output to the reclaimed storage locations. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the valid free space indication is application specific. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the reclaimed storage resources are marked with an application fill on demand indicator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the valid free space indication is a repeatable bit pattern and wherein zeros are not recognizable by the application as valid free space indications. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the valid free space indication generated by the valid free space indication process is based upon the location of the storage resource. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the application is a database. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The reprogrammable non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the reclamation process includes resolving in flight input and output to the reclaimed storage locations. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15 wherein the valid free space indication is application specific. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15 wherein the reclaimed storage resources are marked with an application fill on demand indicator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15 wherein the valid free space indication is a repeatable bit pattern and wherein zeros are not recognizable by the application as valid free space indications. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15 wherein the valid free space indication generated by the valid free space indication process is based upon the location of the storage resource. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15 wherein the reclamation process includes resolving in flight input and output to the reclaimed storage locations.