Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Most traditional file systems do not support transactional capabilities. Applications need to give better guarantees to the user in terms of maintaining data integrity when unexpected events like power glitches, hard disk errors, etc. occur as they try to save files. In the absence of transactional capabilities, applications employ various schemes to maintain data integrity of files. A common strategy involves writing to a temporary file whenever an update is performed and its contents are saved. On a successful completion of the write and save operation on the temporary file, applications replace the original file with the temporary file. Typically, the files are identified by their names, although most file systems also use one or more additional internal identifiers. The strategy described above, often referred to as safe save, creates an illusion to the user that his/her actions were always directly happening to the original file. 
         [0002]    Note, however, that some key data in the original file could be lost as part of replacing the original file with the temporary file. For example, in the case of NTFS (one of the file systems supported by Microsoft Windows operating system) these key data may include creation time, long/short name, object ID, alternate streams, etc. Operating systems may provide one or more APIs to assist users in automatically copying over some of these key data while doing safe save of files. The process of copying over one or more of the attributes (and data in some occasions) from one file to another by the operating system is called Attribute Tunneling. Attribute tunneling typically gets triggered when a file name disappears and reappears in the same directory within a stipulated time. File names can disappear through delete, rename or move operations. And, they can reappear through create, rename or move operations. Sometimes, applications may have to copy more data (e.g., security descriptor) or attributes in addition to what the operating system provides while doing a safe save. 
         [0003]    Richer storage systems often provide the ability to associate or attach additional data like sticky notes, annotations, references, pictures, etc. to items including files. These additional data (rich data) can be arbitrary in their number and size. For efficiency, these systems internally tend to associate the rich data with the ID of the item (say, itemID). As part of the safe save operation the temporary file created gets a new ID and subsequently when the original file is replaced with the temporary file, the rich data associated with the ID of the original file fails to get transferred. To the user this manifests as simple loss of data, partial or full, while doing an operation like saving a document. 
         [0004]    This type of traditional file saving requires that applications and systems be aware of rich data and how to preserve it. As often is the case, different applications and different systems can be of varying levels of sophistication and age, causing mismatches between how data is saved. Thus, if a system is not expecting rich data, it may not properly transfer it to the changed data. Additionally, the act of transferring the data can also add to the processing burden of a system or application depending on the size and number of data elements associated with the core data. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Primary references for data are leveraged to allow constant time preservation of rich data regardless of the size and/or number of rich data elements. The primary references can include, but are not limited to, names and/or other item identifications. When rich data is tunneled, its associated link identified by the primary reference is changed by swapping primary references of the original data with the changed data. Thus, without duplicating the rich data, it is now associated with the changed data, preserving it in constant time. This technique allows preservation of rich data to occur without burdening processing and/or time constraints based on the size and/or number of rich data elements, substantially increasing data integrity, decreasing time required for data saves, and decreasing processing power required for data saves. The technique also allows disparate applications and/or systems to maintain data integrity even when rich data is not expected for a given application and/or system. Since the rich data follows a primary reference, awareness of the rich data is not required for it to be properly handled, ensuring its integrity. 
         [0006]    The above presents a simplified summary of the subject matter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of subject matter embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the subject matter. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the embodiments or to delineate the scope of the subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the subject matter in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0007]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of embodiments are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject matter may be employed, and the subject matter is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the subject matter may become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a data preservation system in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is another block diagram of a data preservation system in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is yet another block diagram of a data preservation system in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a logical data flow during rich data tunneling for a file system in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of a method for preserving data in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is another flow diagram of a method for preserving data in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example operating environment in which an embodiment can function. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates another example operating environment in which an embodiment can function. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter. It may be evident, however, that subject matter embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the embodiments. 
         [0017]    As used in this application, the term “component” is intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a computer component. One or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. 
         [0018]    Rich storage systems allow extra information to be associated with data being stored. The extra information is typically referred to as “rich data” and generally is associated with stored data items using a primary reference or “item identification (itemID)” that refers to the stored data items. The mechanisms disclosed herein allow rich storage systems to interact with “non-rich” systems and applications and still maintain rich data. The mechanisms accomplish this in constant time regardless of the size and/or quantity of rich data. This allows rich storage systems to interact with relational and legacy file systems alike without losing and/or corrupting data. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a data preservation system  100  that utilizes a rich data preservation component  102  to tunnel rich data  108  associated with original data  104  via its primary reference identification (e.g., itemID # 1 ). In this example, original data  104  has a primary reference identification of itemID # 1   106 . Changed data  110  represents, in this example, a copy of the original data  104  that has been altered prior to a data save. The changed data  110  has a primary reference identification of itemID # 2   112 . The rich data preservation component  102  typically provides rich data tunneling for data items when triggered by an event such as, for example, move, rename, create, etc. In this illustration, a save has been commanded and the intent is for the changed data  110  to overwrite the original data  104  while preserving the rich data  108  associated with the original data  104 . The rich data preservation component  102  leverages the association between the rich data  108  and the primary reference identification itemID # 1   106  to preserve the rich data  108 . The itemID&#39;s  106 ,  112  are stored in temporary storage (e.g., tunnel cache) where they are swapped. Thus, the rich data preservation component  102  re-identifies the changed data  110  from primary reference itemID # 2   112  to primary reference itemID # 1 . The rich data  108  association to the primary reference ID # 1  remains intact and, thus, the rich data  108  is now effectively attached to the changed data  110  since the changed data  110  is now referenced as itemID # 1   106 . 
         [0020]    The data preservation system  100  can tunnel rich data even if a data system is unaware of the rich data  108 . This allows the data preservation system  100  to operate within rich and/or non-rich systems and/or applications alike to preserve the rich data  108 . This is especially useful when rich data systems/applications are utilized with legacy systems/applications. Another advantage of the rich data preservation system  100  is that the rich data  108  is preserved in constant time regardless of the size and/or number of rich data elements contained in the rich data  108 . Since the rich data  108  is not duplicated, its size and/or number of elements does not impact the preservation of the rich data utilizing mechanisms disclosed herein. This can substantially increase the performance of a system and/or application and the like and allow for better resource utilization and/or planning (process time is a constant value). 
         [0021]    A data preservation system  200  shown in  FIG. 2  employs a rich data preservation component  202  that utilizes a trigger monitoring component  216  and a tunneling component  218 . The trigger monitoring component  216  monitors tunneling triggers  214  and initiates rich data tunneling when a trigger event occurs. The tunneling triggers  214  can include, but are not limited to, a rename-rename file system operation, a delete-create file system operation, a delete-rename file system operation, and/or a rename-create file system operation and the like that causes a file name to disappear and reappear in the same directory (namespace). Once initiated by the trigger monitoring component  216 , the tunneling component  218  receives original data  204  with itemID # 1   206  and changed data  210  with itemID # 2   212 . The primary references of the data sets  206 ,  212  are stored, for example, in tunnel cache and switched to preserve rich data  208  associated to itemID # 1   206 . In this manner, the changed data  210  is now associated with a primary reference of itemID # 1   206 . Since rich data  208  is associated with itemID # 1   206 , this effectively transfers the rich data  208  from the original data  204  to the changed data  210  in constant time. 
         [0022]    Occasionally, systems/applications can levy restrictions on altering primary references. These restrictions can interfere with the mechanisms described supra. Thus, when the primary references are immutable, primary identification associations stored with the rich data itself can be utilized, typically by introducing another level of indirection. Thus, in  FIG. 3 , a data preservation system  300  employs a rich data preservation component  302  that acts on primary identification associations  306 ,  312  (ItemID # 1 , and itemID# 2 ), used by rich data set ID # 1  and rich data set ID # 2 , respectively. The primary identification associations  306 ,  312  respectively point (associate) the rich data sets  304 ,  3   10 , and original data  305 , or changed data  311  to their respective data sets  308 ,  314 . When triggered, the rich data preservation component  302  swaps the primary identification associations (itemID # 1 , itemID # 2 )  306 ,  312  of the rich data sets  304 ,  310 . Now, rich data set ID # 1   304  is effectively associated with rich data set ID# 2   314  instead of rich data set ID#  1  (previous association). This allows rich data set ID# 1   304  to be preserved with rich data set ID# 2   314  in constant time via switching of the primary reference associations of the rich data sets  304 ,  3   10 . Thus, data set primary references were not altered while rich data from an original data set (e.g., original document before editing) was preserved (e.g., associated) with another data set (e.g., a changed document, etc.). It can be appreciated that this technique can be applied to further levels of association as desired. This allows preservation of data in constant time despite the number of restrictions on primary, association, and/or identifying/linking information and the like. In yet other instances, proxies can be established as necessary to allow linking to a proxy and then between proxies and then back to the original source. This allows tunneling of rich data despite restrictions between two data sets. 
         [0023]    As an implementation example, a rich data preservation system can be utilized in a rich storage system that can include relational file systems. Typically, every item in a relational file system has a unique identifier or itemID. Relational file systems have richer capabilities that let users create and attach additional data to files. The attached data is often arbitrary in number and size. This rich data can include, for example, sticky notes, annotations, additional properties normally not contained in a basic file type, references to other files, and/or a variety of custom data that a user can add on. In addition, the relational file system can further store additional derived data to support, for example, efficient searches. Legacy applications are not aware of the presence of the rich data and, thus, it can get lost during a system store process of files and/or documents. The mechanisms herein prevent the loss of rich data attached to data items in relational file systems and other systems. They accomplish this in constant time regardless of the size of the rich data and/or the number of rich data elements. Knowledge of whether rich data elements exist or not is also not required to employ these mechanisms. 
         [0024]    For example, traditional attribute tunneling for a data item is typically triggered when a name of a file disappears and reappears in a directory within a prescribed time window. A name can appear, for example, through a create or rename/move operation. Similarly, a name can disappear from a namespace through a delete or rename/move operation. In this traditional attribute tunneling, using Microsoft Windows as an example, what gets tunneled is a fixed set of properties {CreationTime, ObjectID, ShortName/LongName}. Microsoft Windows, for example, provides an API named ReplaceFileW( ) that helps tunnel additional data/metadata like file attributes, alternate/named streams etc. However, in a rich storage system items can have any amount, arbitrary in their number and size, of rich data attached to it. The mechanisms disclosed herein can accomplish the tunneling of this rich data in an efficient manner that ensures very high performance under varying conditions. Since arbitrary amount of rich data can be attached to items, it is often stored in a normalized manner. The normalization of storage implies that rather than storing along with an item in the same table, the rich data is instead stored in one or more separate tables. The association of rich data to an item happens by mapping the data (referential integrity) to the itemID. In one instance, to achieve rich data tunneling, the itemID is stored in a tunnel cache. When rich data tunneling is triggered, the itemIDs of the related items are switched. Thus, tunneling is accomplished without actually having to copy over the rich data itself 
         [0025]    To further illustrate rich data tunneling, an assumption is made that a triggering event involves two rename operations (other triggering scenarios can include, but are not limited to, delete-create, delete-rename, rename-create). For example, a user opens a document (e.g., TRIP.DOC), through a word processing application. When the user makes changes to the document and saves it, the original document is not directly updated. Instead the word processor writes the latest contents to a temporary file, for example, X.TMP. If the write to the file X.TMP completed without any errors then as part of a safe save operation what may happen is the following two renames. The first rename operation renames the original document to create a backup (e.g., BACKUP.DOC). Now, the document that has the updated content (X.TMP) is renamed to the original document (TRIP.DOC). 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  illustrates a logical data flow  400  during rich data tunneling for a file system. In this example, rich data tunneling is triggered on a successful call to a rename-rename like the following: 
         [0000]                                            RENAME TRIP.DOC BACKUP.TMP           RENAME X.TMP TRIP.DOC                          FIG. 4  shows the state of the items after the second RENAME operation. And, the arrows  402  indicate the logical work that occurs as part of the rich data tunneling.
 
         [0027]    To explain what happens underneath to achieve rich data tunneling, consider abstractions of rich data element tables as follows. TABLE 1 shows an two item table and associated primary reference identifications I1 and I2 for two different data sets. 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 1                   Item Table            ItemID   Name   FileStream               I1   ItemA   FStream1       I2   ItemB   FStream2                    
TABLE 2 depicts an ItemFragment Table (of rich data elements) that links to the two data sets via their primary reference identifications (e.g., I1, I2).
 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 2                   ItemFragment Table            ItemID   ItemFragmentID   ItemFragment               I1   1   StickyNote1       I1   2   StickyNote2       I1   3   Picture1       I1   4   Contact1       I2   5   Picture2       I2   6   Annotation1                    
In this case, the tunneling of rich data between items I1 and I2 can be accomplished, in constant time, by swapping the ItemID in TABLE 1 as shown in TABLE 3.
 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 3                   Item Table After Tunneling            ItemID   Name   FileStream                           I2   ItemA   FStream1                   I1   ItemB   FStream2                    
However, if a storage system has a constraint that itemID of an item is immutable during the life of the item an additional level of indirection can be utilized to achieve tunneling in constant time as follows:
 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 4                   Item Table with Immutable Items            ItemID   Name   FileStream               I1   ItemA   FStream1       I2   ItemB   FStream2                    
A new table may then be introduced to provide the additional level of indirection/normalization such as, for example, TABLE 5 depicting an ItemToItemFragmentMapping Table. Alternatively we can add the column FragmentCollectionId to the Item Table (TABLE 4) itself to avoid the creation of an extra table.
 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 5 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 ItemToItemFragmentMapping Table 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 ItemID 
                 FragmentCollectionID 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 I1 
                 FC1 
               
               
                   
                 I2 
                 FC2 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]                                  TABLE 6                   ItemFragment Table            FragmentCollectionID   ItemFragmentID   ItemFragment               FC1   1   StickyNote1       FC1   2   StickyNote2       FC1   3   Picture1       FC1   4   Contact1       FC2   5   Picture2       FC2   6   Annotation1                    
Now, rich data tunneling can be accomplished in constant time by the following change to ItemToItemFragmentMapping Table (TABLE 5):
 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 7                   ItemToItemFragmentMapping Table After Tunneling                ItemID   FragmentCollectionID                       I1               FC2           I2               FC1                        
Thus, for example, an entire collection of external storage (arbitrary in number and size) is tunneled in constant time.
 
         [0028]    In view of the exemplary systems shown and described above, methodologies that may be implemented in accordance with the embodiments will be better appreciated with reference to the flow charts of  FIGS. 5-6 . While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be understood and appreciated that the embodiments are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may, in accordance with an embodiment, occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methodologies in accordance with the embodiments. 
         [0029]    The embodiments may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed by one or more components. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various instances of the embodiments. 
         [0030]    In  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram of a method  500  for preserving data in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment is shown. The method  500  starts  502  by retaining an item identification relating to a first data set in temporary storage  504 . The temporary storage can include, but is not limited to, tunnel cache and the like. The first data set item identification is then switched with a second data set item identification in temporary storage to transfer rich data from the second data set to the first data set in constant time  506 , ending the flow  508 . The item identification is typically a primary reference indicator that allows a system/application to uniquely identify data. This method  500  can be utilized even if a data system/application is unaware of the rich data. This allows rich data tunneling within rich and/or non-rich systems and/or applications alike to preserve the rich data. This is especially useful when rich data systems/applications are utilized with legacy systems/applications. The rich data is preserved in constant time regardless of the size and/or number of rich data elements contained in the rich data. Since the rich data is not duplicated, its size and/or number of elements does not impact the preservation of the rich data. This can substantially increase the performance of a system and/or application and the like and allow for better resource utilization and/or planning (process time is a constant value). One can appreciate that method  500  can be employed with any number of data sets. 
         [0031]    Looking at  FIG. 6 , another flow diagram of a method  600  for preserving data in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment is depicted. The method  600  starts  602  by retaining an association identification relating to a first rich data set in temporary storage  604 . An association identification facilitates in linking/identifying rich data and its associated data/file. New levels of indirection/normalization can be added to obtain association identifications for data/files that have immutable properties. If tables are employed for linking/associating rich data, additional intermediate tables can be employed to accomplish this. The temporary storage can include, but is not limited to, tunnel cache and the like. The first rich data set association identification is then switched with a second rich data set association identification in temporary storage to transfer the first rich data set from a first data set to a second data set in constant time  606 , ending the flow  608 . Thus, without modifying primary references/itemIDs of data sets, rich data can be preserved. One can appreciate that method  600  can be employed with any number of rich data sets. It can also be utilized in rich and/or non-rich environments as well, with or without knowledge of the existence of the rich data and in constant time. 
         [0032]    In order to provide additional context for implementing various aspects of the embodiments,  FIG. 7  and the following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment  700  in which the various aspects of the embodiments can be performed. While the embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions of a computer program that runs on a local computer and/or remote computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments can also be performed in combination with other program modules. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks and/or implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, as well as personal computers, hand-held computing devices, microprocessor-based and/or programmable consumer electronics, and the like, each of which can operatively communicate with one or more associated devices. The illustrated aspects of the embodiments can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. However, some, if not all, aspects of the embodiments can be practiced on stand-alone computers. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in local and/or remote memory storage devices. 
         [0033]    With reference to  FIG. 7 , an exemplary system environment  700  for performing the various aspects of the embodiments include a conventional computer  702 , including a processing unit  704 , a system memory  706 , and a system bus  708  that couples various system components, including the system memory, to the processing unit  704 . The processing unit  704  can be any commercially available or proprietary processor. In addition, the processing unit can be implemented as multi-processor formed of more than one processor, such as can be connected in parallel. 
         [0034]    The system bus  708  can be any of several types of bus structure including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of conventional bus architectures such as PCI, VESA, Microchannel, ISA, and EISA, to name a few. The system memory  706  includes read only memory (ROM)  710  and random access memory (RAM)  712 . A basic input/output system (BIOS)  714 , containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer  702 , such as during start-up, is stored in ROM  710 . 
         [0035]    The computer  702  also can include, for example, a hard disk drive  716 , a magnetic disk drive  718 , e.g., to read from or write to a removable disk  720 , and an optical disk drive  722 , e.g., for reading from or writing to a CD-ROM disk  724  or other optical media. The hard disk drive  716 , magnetic disk drive  718 , and optical disk drive  722  are connected to the system bus  708  by a hard disk drive interface  726 , a magnetic disk drive interface  728 , and an optical drive interface  730 , respectively. The drives  716 - 722  and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc. for the computer  702 . Although the description of computer-readable media above refers to a hard disk, a removable magnetic disk and a CD, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of media which are readable by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, and the like, can also be used in the exemplary operating environment  700 , and further that any such media can contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods of the embodiments. 
         [0036]    A number of program modules can be stored in the drives  716 - 722  and RAM  712 , including an operating system  732 , one or more application programs  734 , other program modules  736 , and program data  738 . The operating system  732  can be any suitable operating system or combination of operating systems. By way of example, the application programs  734  and program modules  736  can include a data preservation scheme in accordance with an aspect of an embodiment. 
         [0037]    A user can enter commands and information into the computer  702  through one or more user input devices, such as a keyboard  740  and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse  742 ). Other input devices (not shown) can include a microphone, a joystick, a game pad, a satellite dish, a wireless remote, a scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  704  through a serial port interface  744  that is coupled to the system bus  708 , but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, a game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  746  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  708  via an interface, such as a video adapter  748 . In addition to the monitor  746 , the computer  702  can include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc. 
         [0038]    It is to be appreciated that the computer  702  can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers  760 . The remote computer  760  can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer  702 , although for purposes of brevity, only a memory storage device  762  is illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 7  can include a local area network (LAN)  764  and a wide area network (WAN)  766 . Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet. 
         [0039]    When used in a LAN networking environment, for example, the computer  702  is connected to the local network  764  through a network interface or adapter  768 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  702  typically includes a modem (e.g., telephone, DSL, cable, etc.)  770 , or is connected to a communications server on the LAN, or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN  766 , such as the Internet. The modem  770 , which can be internal or external relative to the computer  702 , is connected to the system bus  708  via the serial port interface  744 . In a networked environment, program modules (including application programs  734 ) and/or program data  738  can be stored in the remote memory storage device  762 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means (e.g. wired or wireless) of establishing a communications link between the computers  702  and  760  can be used when carrying out an aspect of an embodiment. 
         [0040]    In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, the embodiments have been described with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations that are performed by a computer, such as the computer  702  or remote computer  760 , unless otherwise indicated. Such acts and operations are sometimes referred to as being computer-executed. It will be appreciated that the acts and symbolically represented operations include the manipulation by the processing unit  704  of electrical signals representing data bits which causes a resulting transformation or reduction of the electrical signal representation, and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations in the memory system (including the system memory  706 , hard drive  716 , floppy disks  720 , CD-ROM  724 , and remote memory  762 ) to thereby reconfigure or otherwise alter the computer system&#39;s operation, as well as other processing of signals. The memory locations where such data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, or optical properties corresponding to the data bits. 
         [0041]      FIG. 8  is another block diagram of a sample computing environment  800  with which embodiments can interact. The system  800  further illustrates a system that includes one or more client(s)  802 . The client(s)  802  can be hardware and/or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). The system  800  also includes one or more server(s)  804 . The server(s)  804  can also be hardware and/or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). One possible communication between a client  802  and a server  804  can be in the form of a data packet adapted to be transmitted between two or more computer processes. The system  800  includes a communication framework  808  that can be employed to facilitate communications between the client(s)  802  and the server(s)  804 . The client(s)  802  are connected to one or more client data store(s)  810  that can be employed to store information local to the client(s)  802 . Similarly, the server(s)  804  are connected to one or more server data store(s)  806  that can be employed to store information local to the server(s)  804 . 
         [0042]    It is to be appreciated that the systems and/or methods of the embodiments can be utilized in data preservation facilitating computer components and non-computer related components alike. Further, those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems and/or methods of the embodiments are employable in a vast array of electronic related technologies, including, but not limited to, computers, servers and/or handheld electronic devices, and the like. 
         [0043]    What has been described above includes examples of the embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the embodiments, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Technology Category: 3