Patent ID: 7134041

Claim:
A method for storage of data files, comprising: creating a baseline copy of the data files, where each baseline data file has a position indicator and a calculated value calculated based upon the content of the corresponding baseline data file, wherein the position indicator is separate from the calculated value wherein the position indicator associated with the baseline data file is not calculated based upon the content of the corresponding baseline data file and wherein the position indicator associated with each baseline data file indicates a position of the baseline data file with respect to other baseline data files; performing a backup session with at least one updated data file, where each updated data file has a position indicator and a calculated value calculated based upon the content of the corresponding updated data file, wherein the position indicator associated with the updated data file is not calculated based upon the content of the corresponding baseline data file; determining if the updated data file does not exist as any baseline data file using the position indicator of the updated data file, wherein the position indicator of the updated file is separate from the calculated value associated with the updated file and wherein the position indicator of the updated data file indicates whether the updated data file is a file that exists among the baseline copy of the data files; wherein if the updated data file does not exist as any baseline data file, the updated data file is added to the baseline copy of the data files; determining if the updated file is a new version of any baseline data file by comparing the calculated values associated with the baseline data files with the calculated value associated with the updated data file; and wherein if the updated file is a new version of any baseline data file, the updated data file is merged with the baseline data file in the baseline copy of data files.