Patent ID: 8738670

Claim:
A machine readable medium providing executable program instructions for causing a data processing system to perform a method of managing data, the method comprising: storing, in a metadata database, metadata files corresponding to a plurality of data files created by at least one software application which is executable on a data processing system, wherein the type of metadata in metadata files for data files of a first type differs from the type of metadata in metadata files for data files of a second type, and wherein metadata in a metadata file includes a persistent identifier that provides a persistent association between the metadata file and a corresponding data file even through modifications of the data file; storing a file system directory which maintains information specifying (a) the persistent association between the metadata file and the data file, and (b) a location of the metadata file in the metadata database; receiving a notification indicating modification of the data file; and identifying, in response to receiving the notification and using the file system directory, the location of the metadata file based on the persistent association between the metadata file and the modified data file.