Patent ID: 7725444

Claim:
A computer implemented method for generating data structures for use in storing data in a computer readable medium, comprising: defining a plurality of data structures in a computer readable medium, wherein each data structure indicates a plurality of attributes and at least one function of a storage resource to store data; and defining policies in the computer readable medium that associate data characteristics of data to data structures by enabling operations to be performed, the operations comprising: determining attributes corresponding to data characteristics of data; and determining one of the data structures indicating the determined attributes, wherein each defined data structure is configured to provide requirements to determine a storage resource to store the data, and wherein each defined data structure is configured to provide the storage resource with functions that invoke at least one of hardware and software to perform storing the data in a manner that satisfies the attributes and requirements defined by the data structure, wherein the functions defined in the determined data structure are used to store the data in a manner that implements the attributes and requirements defined by the determined data structure.