Patent ID: 7721029

Claim:
A method for preserving data integrity comprising: receiving data from a host computer; storing the data on a mobile random access storage device when the mobile random access storage device is operatively linked with a first docking station wherein a first data storage library comprises the first docking station; accounting for a first elapsed time from when the data was stored wherein the first elapsed time is displayed on a time monitor apparatus disposed on the mobile random access memory storage device; unlinking and removing power to the mobile random access storage device from the first docking station; indicating when the first elapsed time reaches a time limit; linking the mobile random access storage device with either the first or a second docking station after the first elapsed time reaches the time limit; restoring the data after the first elapsed time exceeds the time limit; and accounting for a second elapsed time from when the data was restored, wherein the accounting step is accomplished automatically using an accounting algorithm accounting the first or second elapsed time for individual packets of data stored for each of a plurality of mobile random access storage devices wherein each of the plurality of mobile random access storage devices are identifiable.