Patent ID: 8200721

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing write-once read-many (WORM) files, comprising: in response to a command to set a time attribute of a file to a first predetermined value, determining whether the first predetermined value is outside of an ordinary range of values associated with the time attribute in accordance with a file system associated with the file; including determining whether the first predetermined value is greater than a current time plus a minimum WORM retention time; designating the file as a WORM file and setting a WORM retention period for the file based on the first predetermined value if the first predetermined value is outside of an ordinary range of values associated with the time attribute, wherein designating the file as a WORM file and setting the WORM retention period are performed in response to the command; and storing the first predetermined value as a WORM retention date in an attribute of the file if the first predetermined value is greater than the current time plus a minimum WORM retention time and less than the current time plus a maximum WORM retention time; and rejecting, the command if the first predetermined value is less than the current time plus the minimum WORM retention time or greater than the current time plus the maximum WORM retention time.