Patent ID: 8095506

Claim:
A method, comprising: storing, using one or more processing units, a plurality of data files and associated metadata objects, wherein the data files are associated with a plurality of applications within a system, wherein each metadata object includes a persistent identifier that uniquely identifies an associated data file, wherein each data file has a name, and wherein the persistent identifier remains the same when a file name is changed or when a data file is modified; and receiving, using the one or more processing units, a notification associated with a data file, wherein the notification indicates deletion of an existing data file, creation of a new data file, or modification of an existing data file, wherein: when the notification indicates deletion of an existing data file, a persistent identifier is used to identify an associated metadata object, and both the existing data file and the associated metadata object are deleted, when the notification indicates creation of a new data file, a metadata object including a persistent identifier is generated and associated with the new data file, and one or more appropriate importers are determined based upon a file type of the new data file, wherein the one or more appropriate importers are used to import metadata from the associated data file, and when the notification indicates modification of an existing data file, a persistent identifier is used to identify an associated metadata object, and one or more appropriate importers are determined based upon a file type of the existing data file, wherein the one or more appropriate importers are used to import metadata from the associated data file.