Patent ID: 7711728
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a networked computer investigation system including a client device and a plurality of target devices coupled to the client device, a method for investigating data stored in one or more storage devices coupled to the plurality of target devices, the method comprising: Identifying by the client device a search key; Identifying by the client device, based on file metadata, a first file stored in a first storage device coupled to a first target device and a second file stored in a second storage device coupled to a second target device; Transmitting the search key to the first and second target devices over a secure data communications network; Streaming by the client device, over the secure data communications network, a plurality of first file extents associated with the first file to the first target device, and a plurality of second file extents associated with the second file to the second target device, each file extent identifying a range of data of the corresponding file to be searched; Receiving and processing by respectively the first and second target devices the streamed first and second file extents, Storing the received first and second file extents in respectively first and second in-queues at respectively the first and second target devices; Monitoring fullness of the first and second in-queues; Responsive to the monitoring, streaming by the client device a second plurality of first file extents associated with the first file to the first target device and a second plurality of second file extents associated with the second file to the second target device, over the secure data communications network; Concurrently searching by the first and second target devices for the search key at respectively each range of data specified in each received first file extent and at each range of data specified in each received second file extent; and Generating search results by the first and second target devices based on the respective searching of each range of data, wherein the search results identify information relating to the search key located during the searching.