Abstract: A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that reduces computer file system access time associated with on-access scanning in a computing facility by receiving file access information describing a pattern of access of each accessed computer file, processing the file access information to generate a file access performance cost statistic for each of the accessed computer files, maintaining the file access performance cost statistic for each of the files, generating a file access performance cost mapping of the computing facility's file system relating to the computer files, generating a locality statistic from the performance cost map of a probability that the second computer file will be accessed near the time that the first computer file is accessed, and pre-scanning the second computer file when the probability is high that the second computer file will be accessed when that first computer file has been accessed.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for reducing computer file access time associated with on-access scanning through predictive preemptive scanning, where the prediction may be enabled through the development and use of a file access performance cost mapping of a computing facility's file system. In a first step, file access information describing a pattern of each of a plurality of computer files that have been accessed in a computer file system may be collected. In a second step, the file access information may be processed to generate a file access performance cost statistic for each of the plurality of computer files, where the file access performance cost statistic may be a measure of the time aggregate effect on the computing facility's system performance associated with the access of the file. In a third step, the file access performance cost statistic may be maintained for each of the plurality of files accessed by the computing facility.