Abstract: A method and system for improving performance with single-instance-storage volumes by leveraging data locality is provided. A client provides a set of fingerprints generated from data segments to be saved to a single-instance storage volume and receives the information on whether a data segment exists on the single-instance storage volume and where it is stored if a data segment exists. Based on its received information, the client determines if a number of non-sequential accesses of a computer-readable medium for the set of segments from the single-instance-storage volume exceeds a predetermined threshold. If so, the client provides the whole set of data segments for storage within the single-instance storage volume regardless of whether or not the data segments are duplicate data segments. These sent data segments will be stored contiguously within the single-instance storage volume while the duplicates will be removed from their previous stored locations.

Abstract: A method and system for efficient space management for single-instance-storage volumes is provided. A backup module storing data within a collection of containers according to access locality and retention time of the data, wherein the retention time defines an amount of time the data is stored within the collection of containers before deletion of the data, and the access locality comprises an order in which the data is to be accessed is further provided. A compaction module compacting the stored data by selecting at least two containers among the collection of containers, wherein the selection is performed using a predetermined criteria that includes access locality and retention time of the data is also provided. The compaction module distributes the data among the at least two containers. The compaction criteria creates an imbalance among the containers to create more empty, full, or nearly full containers.