Abstract:
A mechanism is provided for storing data files in a file system. The file system provides a plurality of reference data files, where each reference data file in the plurality of data files represents a group of similar data files. The mechanism creates a new data file and associated the new data file with one reference data file in the plurality of data files thus defining an associated reference data file of the plurality of reference data files. The mechanism informs the file system about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file. The mechanism compresses the new data file using the associated reference data file thereby forming a compressed data file. The mechanism stores the compressed data file together with information about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates in general to data processing systems, and in particular, to a method and a system for storing data files in a file system. 
         [0002]    Some types of applications have the characteristic of storing large numbers highly redundant (similar) unstructured data objects (files) in a file system. One example is an application processing and storing genomic sequence data of a large number of individuals of the same species. Such applications are being used more and more in the life science industry generating significant amount of data volume and storing these as a plurality of files in file systems. In the case of applications for genomic sequence data the scanning speed of genetic sequencers increases exponentially with each new generation leading to even more data hardly to be stored on storage devices for reasonable cost. Genetic sequencers use the application programming interface (API) of a file system. For network attached storage (NAS) the data are sent via a network protocol like Network File System protocol (NFS) or Server Message Broadcast protocol (SMB) or other alternative protocols to store the data in the NAS device using a file system internally. There are other application areas also generating very similar content to be stored in multiple files, for example applications recording, processing and storing seismic exploration data. 
         [0003]    Some storage systems optimize storage capacity by eliminating identical copies of stored data. In some cases, stored data is divided into segments. A new segment that is desired to be stored is first compared against those segments already stored. If an identical segment is already stored on the system, a reference to that segment is stored instead of storing the new segment. This is referred to as identity compression. 
         [0004]    Despite increasing capacities of storage systems and network links, there are often benefits to reducing the size of file objects that are stored and/or transmitted. Examples of environments that would benefit include mobile devices with limited storage, communication over telephone links, or storage of reference data, which is data that is written, saved permanently, and often never again accessed. Other examples include wide-area transfers of large objects, such as scientific data sets, or over saturated links. For example in self-contained storage systems, in which all data is stored in a single location, data can take the form of files in a file system, objects in a database, or other storage device. 
         [0005]    Numerous techniques for reducing large object sizes exist including data compression, duplicate suppression, and delta encoding. Data compression is the elimination of redundancy internally within an object. Duplicate suppression is the process of eliminating redundancy caused by identical objects. Delta encoding or compression eliminates redundancy of an object relative to another object, which may be an earlier version of the object having the same name. A delta compression method, for example, optimizes storage capacity by comparing a new segment that is desired to be stored against those segments already stored and looking for a similar though not necessarily identical segment. If a similar segment is already stored on the system, a delta between the old and new segment is computed and a reference to the old segment and the delta is stored in place of the entire new segment. 
         [0006]    In US 2011/0196869 A1 a method for cluster storage is disclosed. A storage system uses a cluster of nodes to store in-coming data. In-coming data is segmented. Each segment is characterized for assignment for storage on a given node. On the given node of the cluster, segments are stored in a manner that deduplicates segment storage. 
         [0007]    Segments are deduplicated on each node of the cluster using delta compression. Delta compression allows the use of large segments for distributing efficiently to nodes so that sequential bytes are stored close to each other on disk. Delta compression efficiently stores segments that are similar to each other by storing one base and, for other similar segments, storing only a delta from the base along with a reference to the base. If a segment is not similar to a previously stored base, the new segment is stored as a new base and possibly a delta from that base. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    In one illustrative embodiment, a method, in a data processing system, is provided for storing data files in a file system. In the illustrative embodiment, the file system provides a plurality of reference data files and each reference data file in the plurality of data files represents a group of similar data files. The illustrative embodiment creates a new data file. The illustrative embodiment associates the new data file with one reference data file in the plurality of data files thus defining an associated reference data file of the plurality of reference data files. The illustrative embodiment informs the file system about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file. The illustrative embodiment compresses the new data file using the associated reference data file thereby forming a compressed data file. The illustrative embodiment stores the compressed data file together with information about the association of the new data file with the associated reference data file. 
         [0009]    In other illustrative embodiments, a computer program product comprising a computer useable or readable medium having a computer readable program is provided. The computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to perform various ones of, and combinations of, the operations outlined above with regard to the method illustrative embodiment. 
         [0010]    In yet another illustrative embodiment, a system/apparatus is provided. The system/apparatus may comprise one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory may comprise instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform various ones of, and combinations of, the operations outlined above with regard to the method illustrative embodiment. 
         [0011]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in, or will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of, the following detailed description of the example embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The present invention together with the above-mentioned and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments, but not restricted to the embodiments, wherein is shown in: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a system including a files association module and a compression module according to an example embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a file association and storage process according to an example embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts a delta compression process in a file system according to an example embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  depicts a file system structure depicting attributes for a reference data file based compression method according to an example embodiment of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  depicts a file system with compressed data files maintaining a link to an associated reference data file according to an example embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  depicts a transliteration process for a compressed data file from a previous reference data file to a new reference data file according to a further example embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  depicts an example embodiment of a data processing system for carrying out a method according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    In the drawings, like elements are referred to with equal reference numerals. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Moreover, the drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. 
         [0021]    For illustrating the invention,  FIG. 1  depicts a system  100  including a file association module  36  and a compression module  32  according to an example embodiment of the invention. The system  100  includes an application  30  running on a server  112 , which on the other side is coupled via a network  116  to a server  102 , where a file system  10  is configured to run. The file system  10  represents a file oriented interface to the application  30  such as a Network File System protocol (NFS) or a Server Message Broadcast protocol (SMB). The application  30  generates and processes sets of similar data files. A file association module  36  is integrated with the application  30  and is capable to analyze the content of said data files. This enables the file association module  36  to determine data files which are similar and group similar data files in groups or set of data files. This grouping can also be based on rules given by the application  30  or the file system  10 . For example one rule can be that all data files of a certain type form one group. Another rule can be that all data files generated in a specific period of time pertain to one set of files. For each set of similar data files the file association module  36  can now automatically generate a reference data file  12 . Finally the file association module  36  in conjunction with the application  30  stores a data file  14  in file system  10  via network  116  and thereby associates the data file  14  with said reference data file  12 . A compression module  32  as well as a decompression module  34  are integrated in the file system  10 . According to the invention a data file  14  may be compressed using the reference data file  12  to result in a compressed data file  16  which may be stored afterwards. Details are described in the following. The decompression module  34  may on the other hand serve for decompressing a compressed data file  16  using a reference data file  12  in order to restore the original data file  14 . 
         [0022]    The file system  10  is connected to a storage device  106  comprising hard disk drives or other storage devices according to prior art. File system  10  is the entity wherein files are being organized and stored on the storage device  106 . There might be multiple file systems storing files on a single storage device  106  or a plurality of storage devices. A file system  10  contains an address space using names for the stored object, called name space. The file system  10 , the servers  102 ,  112  and the storage device  106  can also be one system. Also multiple servers  102 ,  112  can build a cluster in scale out architecture. The file system  10  may be part of an operation system running on a server or may run as a firmware on a controller. 
         [0023]    One example for an implementation of the inventive method is described based on a file system crawler (a computer program that browses a file system in a methodical, automated manner or in an orderly fashion). Referring to  FIG. 1 , said file system crawler represents the application  30  including the file association module  36 . The file system crawler analyzes data files stored in file system  10  in a directory structure. The file system  10  includes the compression module  32 . Said file system crawler implements the following method to identify similar files, determine a reference data file for said similar data files and associate said reference data file with said identified similar data files, denoted by the following steps: the file system crawler selects a type of files such as, for example, text files or presentation files or spread sheets; the file system crawler determines data files of said selected file type stored in file system  10 ; among these files the file system crawler determines data files with similar content. This analysis can be based on a text analysis of the file or an analysis of the file structure. In one embodiment the file system crawler analyzes files with a similar file name stored in the same directory first. For said identified similar data files the file system crawler determines that part of the contents which each of said similar data files contains and stores this part of the content in a new file representing a reference data file. Said reference data file is also stored in file system  10 . The file system crawler associates said similar data files with said reference data file by instructing the compression module  32  of the file system  10 . Based on this instruction the compression module  32  of the file system  10  performs delta compression based on a prior art method for said similar data files using said reference data file. 
         [0024]    Another example for an implementation of the inventive method is the use of storing genomic sequence data. The result of such scans is very large volumes of data, in the order of 20 to 40 TBytes of data, representing several scans of genomic sequences where the information about the individual is available, too. Such additional information can be utilized for associating reference data files based on the information of an individual. As an example, known relationships between individuals can be used for associating the same reference data file to genomic sequences based on the assumptions that individuals with a close relationship also share similar genomic sequences with a smaller set of differences compared to unrelated individuals. Based on the knowledge of relationships the same reference data file can be associated to a set of individuals to store their genomic sequence data by using delta compression. Due to the smaller amount of differences the delta compression based on an appropriate reference data file the required storage space is minimized. An example can be to use the genomic sequence data of a mother as the reference file for all children and grandchildren. The determination of such relationships is based on associated data about individuals providing genomic sequence data as in a patient data management system. Another use case is a set of genomic sequences being scanned from the same person. Differences in the genomic sequence, as created by viruses or mutations, are being stored as the result of the delta compression algorithm for each scan based on one reference genomic sequence. This may also allow storing mutations of the genomic sequence data over a longer period of time with just storing the delta. The relationship between different genomic sequences is also known by associated data being stored in a database containing the information about a patient like in a patient data management system. 
         [0025]    For storing genomic sequence data based on delta compression the patient data management system represented as application  30  may utilize the file system  10  for storing genomic sequence data. Once an initial sequence data needs to be stored the application  30  determines this sequence as the reference data file as well. For any further data being stored the file association module  36  determines whether the stored data has a relationship to the previously stored reference data file. The determination can vary based on the information being available in the application  30 . If the relationship of individuals belonging to the same family can be determined all genomic sequence data of members of this family can be associated with the reference data file being stored for the first member. In the case of storing multiple genomic sequence data for the same individual association can be done for the individual. The association based on the file system namespace can be used here i.e. if all data of the same individual is stored in the same directory. In this case the reference data file is associated by the file association module  36  to the according directory. The file association module  36  just needs to translate relationship into a directory structure being provided by the inventive system. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  explains a file association and storage process  800  according to an example embodiment of the invention. The process  800  may be implemented in an application  30  and its embedded file association module  36 . After start of the process in step  802  the application  30  generates similar data files  14  ( FIG. 1 ) in step  804  and determines if there is a reference data file  12  ( FIG. 1 ) for these similar data files  14  in step  805  by examining rules which are configured. In step  806  of the process  800  it is checked if the reference data file  12  exists already and if the answer is no the reference data file  12  will be created in step  807 . In step  808  the reference data file  12  is stored and the process  800  continues to step  810 . 
         [0027]    If the reference data file  12  already existed in step  806  then the process  800  flows to step  810  where the data files  14  generated in step  804  are stored in the file system  10  ( FIG. 1 ). In step  812  the process  800  associates the data files  14  with the reference data file  12  by sending an instruction to the file system  10 . For example this instruction can be based on an existing file link command including a new option (parameter) which instructs the file system  10  to associate the reference data file  12  with the data file. Process  800  ends in step  820 . 
         [0028]    The association of the reference data file  12  with the data file  14  can be performed explicitly whereby the application instructs the file system  10  about this association (via file link command) or implicitly whereby the reference data file  12  is associated with a sub-tree  28  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) of the file system  10  and the application stores said data files  14  in said sub-tree  28 . 
         [0029]    Reference data files may be created by one of the following steps, (i) comparing a plurality of data files  14  concerning at least one of a part of a file content, a file type, an origin of the plurality of data files  14 , (ii) determining similar data files in a file system  10  by a text analysis of the data files  14  and/or an analysis of a file structure of the data files  14 , (iii) determining similar data files  14  in a file system  10  by determining similarity in file names of the data files  14  stored in a directory of the file system  10 , (iv) determining a part of contents of said data files  14  being common to said data files  14 , and finally storing the part of contents in a new data file representing the associated reference data file  12 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  explains a delta compression process  900  in a file system  10 , which may follow the file association and storage process  800  according to an example embodiment of the invention. Once the data files  14  and reference data file  12  is stored in the file system  10  (see  FIG. 1 ), for example by the file association and storage process  800 , the compression module  32  performs the compression of said data files  14  according to process  900 . The process  900  is implemented in file system  10  and its embedded compression module  32 . The process  900  starts in step  902  and continues to step  904  where the data files  14 , the reference data file  12  and the association instruction coming from process  800  (steps  810  and  812  in  FIG. 2 ) are received in the file system  10 . In step  906  the process  900  determines the association of the data files  14  and reference data file  12  received in step  904  and determines in step  908  whether the reference data file  12  exists in the file system  10 . If the reference data file  12  does not exist in the file system  10  the process  900  determines a default reference data file  12  in step  910 . The default reference data file  12  can be set by an administrator of the file system  10 . The default reference data file  12  is thereby associated with a sub-tree  28  of the file system  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , in which the data files  14  are stored. 
         [0031]    In step  912  the process  900  performs delta compression of said data files  14  according to prior art methods using said reference file  12  and a compression module  32  generating a delta compressed file  16  ( FIG. 1 ). If both files contain very similar data this algorithm becomes effective and compression factors in a range between 90% to 99% becomes achievable. This information may be processed by a second prior art compression algorithm, like a jpeg algorithm for example, for compressing the delta information. Thus a further compression factor of greater than 1000 becomes realistic. 
         [0032]    In step  914  the process  900  checks if the size of the delta compressed data file  16  against a configurable size threshold and if the threshold is exceeded the process  900  turns to step  916  where the delta compressed data file  16  is decompressed to form the original data file  14 , if it was no longer available, using a decompression module  34 . In step  918  the original data file  14  is stored in the file system  10  and the process  900  ends in step  930 . 
         [0033]    If the size of the delta compressed file  16  is determined to be below the threshold in step  914  the process  900  turns to step  920  where the original data file  14  is deleted and the delta compressed file  16  is stored in file system  10 . Subsequently the process  900  stores the association information of the reference data file  12  in the delta compressed file  16  in step  922 . In an example embodiment this information is stored in an inode (i.e. file structure information) of the delta compressed file  16 . In an alternate embodiment this information may be stored in the attributes of the delta compressed file  16 . The process  900  ends in step  930 . 
         [0034]    In one embodiment for large data files only a first portion of said data file  14  is compressed in step  912  and then checked against the size threshold in step  914 . If the size threshold is exceeded upon compressing a first portion the original data file  14  is stored uncompressed in step  918 . This embodiment allows to prevent resource intensive compression of large data files which are not compressible. 
         [0035]    From a user or application  30  perspective the file system  10  presents the data files as original data files  14  even though the original data file  14  is compressed. This can be achieved naming the delta compressed data file  16  the same as the original data file  14  and showing the same attributes (especially size) through the interface of the file system  10 . 
         [0036]    In step  908  of process  900  in  FIG. 3  the existence of a reference data file  12  associated with one or more data files  14  is checked and if there is no reference data file  12  associated with data files  14  or the reference data file  12  is not available the process  900  introduces the concept of a default reference file  12 . Thereby the administrator of the file system  10  can associate reference data files  12  with directories or partitions of the file system  10 . In step  910  of process  900  this association is checked. In  FIG. 4  a concept of a static association of reference data files with file system directories or partitions is explained. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  shows a file system structure depicting attributes for a reference data file based compression method according to an example embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 4  therefore shows a file system  10 , within server  102 , containing entities (directories or partitions) for subdividing the namespace and files. It divides the namespace in more manageable units allowing to apply attributes being used for rules on data file placements or other types of attributes. A sub-tree  28  of file system  10 , file set  18   b , has an associated attribute  40  including an association with a reference data file  12  and an attribute  42  associating a compression module  32 . Once these attributes  40 ,  42  are associated to the file set  18   b  all data files being written into this file set  18   b  are interpreted as data files to be delta compressed using the compression module  32  associated by attribute  42  and the reference data file  12  associated by attribute  40 . In addition, all data files in the remaining namespace of the file system  10 , such as data files  18   a ,  20   a ,  22   a - d , will be stored without any compression according to the example embodiment in  FIG. 4 . While the example just shows the association to a file set  18   b  the attributes can also be associated to the file system  10 , or to directories or subdirectories  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c, . . . .    
         [0038]      FIG. 5  depicts a file system  10  with compressed data files maintaining a link to an associated reference data file according to an example embodiment of the invention, as a part of the inventive method concerning static association of reference data files based on namespaces.  FIG. 5  therefore shows the contents of a file system  10 , within server  102 , with an association of the attributes  40  and  42  to a sub-tree  28  of file system  10 , file set  18   b  like in  FIG. 4 . After the association new data files are created and written to the file system  10  within the directory  20   a . The directory  20   a  contained already a file  16   a . Now a new data file  16   b  is created in the directory  20   a . The data being written into this data file  16   b  are processed by the delta compression module  32  referenced in attribute  42  based on the reference data file  12  referenced in attribute  40 . For keeping the relationship the delta compressed data file  16   b  maintains a link  44  to the reference data file of attribute  40 . In file systems this relationship is represented within an inode (i.e. file structure information) of reference data file of attribute  40  in an inode of file  16   b . Files  16   c ,  16   d , and  16   e  are created and written later on in the same way. Assuming the data being written to files  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d , and  16   e  had a correlation like to genomes from two individuals the amount of stored data in these data files is significantly smaller. 
         [0039]    Delta compressed data files  16  can also be re-associated with new reference data files  24  whereby the compression of these data files  16  will be performed using a new reference data file  24 , as is shown in  FIG. 6 . This can be done explicitly whereby the application  30  instructs the file system  10  with its compression module  32  to associate a given data file  16  with a new reference data file  24  (for example via a file link command). Or this can be done implicitly whereby a compressed data file  16  is copied from one directory to another directory within the files system  10  and the new directory is associated with a different reference data file  24 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  explains this so-called transliteration process for a compressed data file  16 , within files system  10 , from a previous reference data file  12  to a new reference data file  24  according to a further example embodiment of the invention. The transliteration of a delta compressed file  16  is carried out by a decompression module  34  for extracting an uncompressed previous data file  14 . In a second step of data processing the compression module  32  takes the file  14  as input and the data file  24  as the new reference data file. After processing the data files a new delta compressed data file  26  is being stored. The file  14  is stored temporarily. Alternatively, the output of the decompression module  34  is taken directly as the input of the compression module  32 , not being stored in a file at all. 
         [0041]    There are the following scenarios of handling an inheritance, i.e. a relationship to the correct associated reference data file, in detail: 
         [0042]    Scenario 1: A data file  16  is copied or moved from one part of the namespace in a file system  10  into another one i.e. from one directory to another one. If different reference data files are associated to the source and target directory the data file is transliterated by the move operation as file  26 . If contents of the file  16  are moved to file  26  the file  16  gets deleted. For a copy operation the file  16  is remaining unchanged. 
         [0043]    Scenario 2: A delta compressed file  16  is copied or moved into another part of the namespace i.e. from one directory into another one. If the target directory has no associated reference data file the delta compressed file  16  needs to be decompressed and being stored in the original format. Depending on whether a copy or move operation is carried out the file  16  gets deleted or not. 
         [0044]    Scenario 3: A new reference data file  24  is associated to a part of the namespace i.e. a directory. All delta compressed data files  16  being stored in this directory need to be transliterated to use the new reference data file  24 . 
         [0045]    Scenario 4: A reference data file  12  is being deleted. All delta compressed data files  16  being associated to this part of the namespace are decompressed into their original data file  14 . 
         [0046]    Access to delta compressed data file  16  might be accomplished by the following way. Next to saving space on the storage device  106  being used by the data files  16 , a delta information of a data file  16  based on a reference data file  12  can be used for computations itself. The data can be made accessible by just decompressing the delta compressed data file  16 . Depending on the capabilities of the file system API an application  30  might access the delta information as an alternate data stream or under a different file name. 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a schematic of an example of a data processing system  210  is shown. Data processing system  210  is only one example of a suitable data processing system and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention described herein. Regardless, data processing system  210  is capable of being implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forth herein above. 
         [0048]    In data processing system  210  there is a computer system/server  212 , which is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with computer system/server  212  include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
         [0049]    Computer system/server  212  may be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer system/server  212  may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices. 
         [0050]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , computer system/server  212  in data processing system  210  is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of computer system/server  212  may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units  216 , a system memory  228 , and a bus  218  that couples various system components including system memory  228  to processor  216 . 
         [0051]    Bus  218  represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. 
         [0052]    Computer system/server  212  typically includes a variety of computer system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer system/server  212 , and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. 
         [0053]    System memory  228  can include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM)  230  and/or cache memory  232 . Computer system/server  212  may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system  234  can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to bus  218  by one or more data media interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below, memory  228  may include at least one program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of the invention. 
         [0054]    Storage system  234  may also exhibit interfaces for separate storage media for the reference data files  12  than for the data files  14  and/or the compressed data files  16 , as these reference data files  12  are the basis for a plurality of compressed data files  16  and may therefore be stored on separate storage media. Also the reference data files  12  may be backed up on separate backup media than the data files  14  and/or the compressed data files  16  as well as may be backed up on separate and/or multiple backup media of special performance and reliability. 
         [0055]    Program/utility  240 , having a set (at least one) of program modules  242 , may be stored in memory  228  by way of example, and not limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networking environment. Program modules  242  generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein. Computer system/server  212  may also communicate with one or more external devices  214  such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display  224 , etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system/server  212 ; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server  212  to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces  222 . Still yet, computer system/server  212  can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter  220 . As depicted, network adapter  220  communicates with the other components of computer system/server  212  via bus  218 . It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with computer system/server  212 . Examples, include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc. 
         [0056]    The block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
         [0057]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” 
         [0058]    Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
         [0059]    Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Rash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0060]    Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
         [0061]    Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0062]    Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0063]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0064]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the block diagram block or blocks.