US 6,983,351 B2 | ||
System and method to guarantee overwrite of expired data in a virtual tape server | ||
Kevin L. Gibble, Tucson, Ariz. (US); Gregory T. Kishi, Oro Valley, Ariz. (US); and Jonathan W. Peake, Tucson, Ariz. (US) | ||
Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US) | ||
Filed on Apr. 11, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/120,911. | ||
Prior Publication US 2003/0196036 A1, Oct. 16, 2003 | ||
Int. Cl. G06F 12/00 (2006.01) |
U.S. Cl. 711—159 | 35 Claims |
1. A method for guaranteeing overwrite of data stored in a media device when the data has expired, wherein the data is organized
in logical units provided on the media device, and the media device is organized in respective physical volumes, said method
comprising:
a) maintaining status information associated with each respective physical volume, and updating the status information of
each respective physical volume based on a prior status and a current status thereof to provide updated status information;
b) specifying a time duration in which expired data may remain on each respective physical volume;
c) based upon the updated status information thereof, determining whether at least a selected one of the physical volumes
has data that has been expired for a duration that is longer than the specified time duration thereof;
d) adding the at least a selected one of the physical volumes to a list of physical volumes to be overwritten when it is determined
in the stet c) that the at least a selected one of the physical volumes has the data that has been expired for the duration
that is longer than the specified time duration; and
(e) overwriting contents, including the expired data, of physical volumes on the list of physical volumes to be overwritten
so that the expired data thereof cannot be read by the media device.
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