Abstract: One implementation of a method for providing backup storage services for encrypted data includes receiving signatures of convergently encrypted portions of data from client computers, determining whether the encrypted portions are already present on a backup storage, and obtaining only the needed portions. Users unassociated with a particular user account are denied access to information backed up in that account. The backup storage also stores password protected key files holding signatures of the unencrypted portions of data. One implementation of a system includes a memory, a single-instance storage circuit, a user account management circuit, and a signature index. The memory holds a user-account database and backup copies of convergently encrypted portions of data. The single-instance storage circuit uses the signature index to prevent duplicative backup copies. The user account management circuit responds to download requests after authenticating the user information associated with the requested data.

Abstract: One implementation of a method for providing backup storage services for encrypted data includes receiving signatures of convergently encrypted portions of data from client computers, determining whether the encrypted portions are already present on a backup storage, and obtaining only the needed portions. Users unassociated with a particular user account are denied access to information backed up in that account. The backup storage also stores password protected key files holding signatures of the unencrypted portions of data. One implementation of a system includes a memory, a single-instance storage circuit, a user account management circuit, and a signature index. The memory holds a user-account database and backup copies of convergently encrypted portions of data. The single-instance storage circuit uses the signature index to prevent duplicative backup copies. The user account management circuit responds to download requests after authenticating the user information associated with the requested data.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for performing cascaded replication are disclosed. For example, one method involves receiving an acknowledgment at a primary replication site from an intermediate replication site. The acknowledgment identifies whether a change has been applied to a remote replication site. The method also involves updating a journal, in response to the acknowledgment. The journal identifies whether the change is currently being replicated. The method can also involve detecting that the intermediate replication site is inaccessible. In response, the method synchronizes a copy of application data at the remote replication site by applying one or more changes identified in the journal to the copy of the application data at the remote replication site.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for automatically obtaining documents that are referenced by an electronic communication, such as an email or instant message, for archival are disclosed. One method involves searching at least a portion (e.g., the header and/or body) of an electronic communication for a reference to a document and, in response to detecting the reference, automatically obtaining an electronic copy of the document. The electronic copy of the document can then be archived.

Abstract: Data uploaded from a mobile unit to a remote site can be buffered at an intermediate wireless base station, allowing an initial wireless link to be rapidly terminated and freed for other uses. In one implementation, a method includes forming a wireless link between a device and a first wireless receiver site, receiving a portion of a data set from the device, relinquishing the wireless link, and then transmitting the portion of the data set from the first wireless receiver site to a service provider. In another implementation, a method includes receiving, via an intermediate wireless base station, a backup request and a portion of data to be backed up from a device. The portion of the data to be backed up is received after a wireless link between the device and the wireless base station has been terminated.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for automatically ranking electronic communications such as emails based on both content and social factors are disclosed. One method assigns a rank to an electronic communication, where assigning the rank involves both assigning a content-based rank to the electronic communication and assigning a social rank to the electronic communication. The rank assigned to the electronic communication can include both the content-based and social rank. Alternatively, the rank can be derived from the content-based and social ranks (e.g., the rank can be an average of the content-based and social ranks).

Abstract: Various methods and systems for automatically obtaining documents that are referenced by an electronic communication, such as an email or instant message, for archival are disclosed. One method involves searching at least a portion (e.g., the header and/or body) of an electronic communication for a reference to a document and, in response to detecting the reference, automatically obtaining an electronic copy of the document. The electronic copy of the document can then be archived.

Abstract: Data uploaded from a mobile unit to a remote site can be buffered at an intermediate wireless base station, allowing an initial wireless link to be rapidly terminated and freed for other uses. In one implementation, a method includes forming a wireless link between a device and a first wireless receiver site, receiving a portion of a data set from the device, relinquishing the wireless link, and then transmitting the portion of the data set from the first wireless receiver site to a service provider. In another implementation, a method includes receiving, via an intermediate wireless base station, a backup request and a portion of data to be backed up from a device. The portion of the data to be backed up is received after a wireless link between the device and the wireless base station has been terminated.

Abstract: One implementation of a method for providing backup storage services for encrypted data includes receiving signatures of convergently encrypted portions of data from client computers, determining whether the encrypted portions are already present on a backup storage, and obtaining only the needed portions. Users unassociated with a particular user account are denied access to information backed up in that account. The backup storage also stores password protected key files holding signatures of the unencrypted portions of data. One implementation of a system includes a memory, a single-instance storage circuit, a user account management circuit, and a signature index. The memory holds a user-account database and backup copies of convergently encrypted portions of data. The single-instance storage circuit uses the signature index to prevent duplicative backup copies. The user account management circuit responds to download requests after authenticating the user information associated with the requested data.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for setting and implementing a policy to compress the history of data on a temporal volume is described.

Abstract: A mechanism to collate, interpret, target or view communication items retained by an organization is presented. Such a mechanism can be used as an aid in identifying communication items (e.g., documents) during electronic discovery, as well as discovery of communication chains. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, apparatus and computer program product for storing communication data, generating a people map data structure using the communication data, generating an evidence map data structure using the communication data, and coupling the people map data structure and evidence map data structure.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for storing one or more point-in-time images of data stored in a block device in a sparse file. In one embodiment, a method involves identifying a block of data within a block device and copying the block of data to a sparse file. The block of data is identified in response to being modified. The sparse file stores an incremental image of data stored in the block device. In addition to storing an incremental image, sparse files can be used to store full images. Furthermore, a sparse file can store multiple images (full and/or incremental) of data stored in a block device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products to provide temporal storage in a fabric-based virtualization environment are presented. Such capacity is provided through the association of a temporal storage appliance, which is configured as a member of a linked VLUN with a non-temporal disk volume. The linked VLUN is provided by a virtualizing fabric switch to a network node such as a network node.

Abstract: An apparatus or method for preserving the relationships or dependencies between content of files in a file system or between content of files in separate file systems. The preservation of relationships or dependencies may require the preservation of the files and their content as well. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first instruction that, when implemented, performs an operation involving a first file in a file system, wherein the first file is related to the second file. In response to receiving the first instruction, a second instruction is selected that, when implemented, performs a second operation involving the first file or a second file, wherein the second instruction is implemented before or after implementing the first instruction.

Abstract: Procedures and systems may be used for archiving data from a secondary data set that is a stable copy of a primary data set. In one implementation, the secondary data set is a continuous data protection (CDP) copy of the primary data set. One implementation of a method includes receiving an application programming interface (API) request for archive-eligible data, gathering application data from a secondary data set, obtaining archive-eligible data from the gathered application data, and responding to the request instruction with the archive-eligible data. The gathering is performed by a gathering circuit configured to obtain information from a plurality of types of secondary data sets. The method also includes receiving API modification instructions related to the archive-eligible data, and causing the modification instruction to be performed on the primary data set.

Abstract: Efficient replication using assistance from a secondary node involves in one embodiment modifying data of a data volume at a primary node to create modified data. The primary node transmits the modified data to a first secondary node, wherein the first secondary node comprises a first replica of the data volume. The first secondary node receives and processes the modified data to generate processed data. The first secondary node transmits the processed data to the primary node. The primary node, in turn, receives and transmits the processed data to a second secondary node, wherein the second secondary node comprises a second replica of the data volume.

Abstract: An apparatus and method implemented by a computer system of using data copies of a volume for redundancy when data of the volume is rendered corrupted or inaccessible. In one embodiment of the method a data volume is created. The data volume comprises a plurality of data blocks including a first data block. After creation of the data volume, a point-in-time (PIT) copy or a replica copy of the data volume is created, and a redirection map is created. The redirection map comprises a plurality of entries, wherein each entry of the map indicates whether memories allocated to store data of respective data blocks of the data volume and the PIT copy or the replica copy, contain identical data. Data of the data volume may become corrupt or inaccessible after creation of the PIT copy or replica copy.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus that provide an equivalent of persistent frozen image snapshots through the use of a time-addressable storage object, such as a time-indexed storage volume, are presented. These virtual snapshot images are presented to a system in a manner such that the image is not persistent and therefore (i) do not take up additional storage resources, and (ii) reduce the amount of volume management overhead that must be maintained since information about the snapshot can be discarded when the snapshot is no longer needed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for setting and implementing a policy to compress the history of data on a temporal volume is described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products to provide temporal storage in a fabric-based virtualization environment are presented. Such capacity is provided through the association of a temporal storage appliance, which is configured as a member of a linked VLUN with a non-temporal disk volume. The linked VLUN is provided by a virtualizing fabric switch to a network node such as a network node.