Patent ID: 6691136
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method in a computer system for facilitating quick access of stored data, the method comprising:storing a plurality of data records on media, in at least one contiguous file; storing a subset of the data records in electronic computer memory, the subset comprising the most recently accessed data records; storing an index in said electronic computer memory, said index facilitating access of said stored plurality of data records on media and said subset of said data records stored in said electronic computer memory, said subset of facilitating access comprising keeping track of which of said subset of said data records stored in said electronic computer memory are updated since having been stored from said media; contiguously writing at least a portion of the subset of data records stored in electronic computer memory to at least one available file on media, wherein a frequency of executing said step of contiguously writing is configurable; for at least one file on media, classifying as obsolete data records therein that have subsequently been written to another file; contiguously copying non-obsolete data records from said at least one file on media to at least one available file on media and skipping said obsolete data records, wherein a frequency of executing said step of contiguously copying is configurable; and classifying said at least one file on media from which non-obsolete data records were copied and wherein said obsolete data records are skipped as available for subsequent contiguous storage of data records from any of said electronic computer memory and said media; where rein said at least one contiguous fit from which said subset of the data records are stored in electronic computer memory can subsequently comprise both obsolete data an non-obsolete data; and wherein when any available file is full, a new available file is designated as active and said any full available file is designated as no longer active and no longer available.