Determining storage capacity to be made available upon deletion of a shared data object

An apparatus for attributing consumed storage capacity among entities storing data in a storage array, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

• identifying a data object stored in the storage array and shared by a plurality of entities, the data object occupying an amount of storage capacity of the storage array;
• and
• attributing to each entity a fractional portion of the amount of storage capacity occupied by the data object;
• receiving, from a particular entity, an identification of a particular data object stored in the storage system and shared by a plurality of entities including the particular entity;
• and
• calculating, in dependence upon the fractional portion of the amount of storage capacity occupied by the particular data object and attributed to the particular entity, an amount of storage capacity to be made available to the particular entity in response to a command, issued by the particular entity, to delete the particular data object.

A computer program product for attributing consumed storage capacity among entities storing data in a storage array, the computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

• identifying a data object stored in the storage array and shared by a plurality of entities, the data object occupying an amount of storage capacity of the storage array;
• and
• attributing to each entity a fractional portion of the amount of storage capacity occupied by the data object;
• receiving, from a particular entity, an identification of a particular data object stored in the storage system and shared by a plurality of entities including the Particular entity;
• and
• calculating, in dependence upon the fractional portion of the amount of storage capacity occupied by the particular data object and attributed to the particular entity, an amount of storage capacity to be made available to the particular entity in response to a command, issued by the particular entity, to delete the particular data object.