Patent ID: 7814269

Claim:
A method of enabling external data storage comprising: providing a computer system, wherein the computer system includes: a primary processing device that includes a processor and a primary storage device operatively coupled to the processor, and a secondary data storage device operatively coupled to the primary processing device, wherein the processor is configured to process a plurality of active records, the plurality of active records including a first active record and a second active record, and wherein the primary processing device is configured to store data belonging to the plurality of active records in the primary data storage device; storing data belonging to the first active record in the primary data storage device; and externalising the first active record by transferring at least a piece of data belonging to the first active record to the secondary data storage device for storage, wherein the externalising of the first active record includes receiving into the processor, via an application programming interface arranged to send the piece of data to the secondary data storage device, at least one call initiated by an application program using data belonging to the first active record.