Adaptive storage management policies for computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11455111-B2
Application number	US-202016988550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2020
Priority date	May 30, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

The techniques disclosed herein provide adaptive storage techniques for maximizing the available storage space of a file storage system. An adaptable multi-phase storage management process may involve a background process and a user process. The background process can autonomously offload files that comply with a confidence level defined in a storage policy. The user process can selectively offload files based on a user response to a prompt identifying specific files that do not comply with the confidence level. Continual adjustments can be made to the storage based on user activity that allows a system to make more accurate determinations on the selection of operations for increasing the available storage space of a system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer implemented method for increasing an amount of available storage space on a local storage, the method comprising:
executing an autonomous background process for a first set of files that comply with a confidence level defined by a content retention policy, wherein the autonomous background process comprises at least one operation for offloading the first set of files;
identifying a second set of files that do not comply with the confidence level and that are nonexempt from offloading;
identifying a third set of files that comply with the confidence level and that are exempt from offloading;
requesting a confirmation to offload the second set of files;
receiving an indication of the confirmation to offload the second set of files; and
in response to receiving the indication of the confirmation to offload, storing an updated content retention policy based on parameters of the indication of the confirmation to offload,
causing subsequent iterations of the autonomous background process to offload a fourth set of files identified utilizing the updated content retention policy.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the parameters define at least one of a delay period between a time of the request and a time of the indication of the confirmation to offload, an indication of an inaction within a time limit, or a selection of at least one file in the second set of files, wherein the parameters are utilized to update the content retention policy.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the request causes names of the second set of files to be displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI), an audio signal indicating names of the second set of files to be generated, or a graphical element to be displayed to solicit the confirmation to offload.

4. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one operation for offloading the first set of files comprises at least one of deleting, moving, dehydrating, uploading, or compressing individual files of the first set of files.

5. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the indication of the confirmation to offload, executing the at least one operation for offloading the second set of files.

6. The computer implemented method according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one operation for offloading the second set of files is executed in response to receiving the indication of the confirmation to offload by a user process.

7. The computer implemented method according to claim 1 , wherein the confirmation to offload comprises a user-specified operation to perform on the second set of files.

8. The computer implemented method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the indication of the confirmation to offload, executing, on the second set of files, the user-specified operation.

9. The computer implemented method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
setting, in the updated content retention policy, a confidence level of the second set of files to a confidence level associated with the user-specified operation.

10. The computer implemented method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
setting, in the updated content retention policy, a confidence level of the second set of files to a confidence level derived from a confidence level associated with the second set of files in the content retention policy and a confidence level associated with the user-specified operation.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the third set of files are exempt from offloading based on an indication received from a user.

12. A computer implemented method for managing a local storage, the method comprising:
identifying, using a content retention policy implemented by a computing device, at least one digital item stored in the local storage for modification of a storage state of the at least one digital item, wherein the at least one digital item complies with a confidence level and is nonexempt from offloading;
determining that modifying the storage state of the at least one digital item will cause the local storage to remain below or equal to a minimum storage threshold;
identifying a first set of digital items that comply with the confidence level and that are exempt from offloading;
identifying a second set of digital items that do not comply with the confidence level and that are nonexempt from offloading;
identifying, based on contextual information and subsequent to determining that the local storage will remain below or equal to the minimum storage threshold, at least one additional digital item stored in the local storage for modification of the storage state of the at least one additional digital item, wherein the at least one additional digital item is identified from the second set of digital items;
receiving an indication of approval to modify the storage state of the at least one additional digital item; and
modifying the content retention policy to provide a modified content retention policy, wherein the modified content retention policy identifies, when executed, digital items of a same type as the at least one digital item and a same type as the at least one additional digital item.

13. The computer implemented method according to claim 12 , further comprising linking the modified content retention policy to a unique user or a particular one or more computing devices associated with the unique user.

14. The computer implemented method according to claim 12 , wherein the modified content retention policy enumerates a plurality of digital item storage state modification rules being autonomously executable by the computing device without direct user intervention.

15. The computer implemented method according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of digital item storage state modification rules comprises at least one default digital item storage state modification rule and at least one unique digital item storage state modification rule generated based on the contextual information derived from use of the computing device.

16. The computer implemented method according to claim 12 , wherein the contextual information comprises use activity of one or more digital items in the local storage, wherein use activity is associated with one or more directories including one or more digital items, information obtained from digital item metadata, and/or information obtained from a user's profile.

17. A computing device, comprising:
a processor;
a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify, using a content retention policy implemented by a computing device, at least one digital item stored in the local storage for modification of a storage state of the at least one digital item, wherein the at least one digital item complies with a confidence level and is nonexempt from offloading;
determine that modifying the storage state of the at least one digital item will cause the local storage to remain at an insufficient storage capacity level;
identify a first set of digital items that comply with the confidence level and that are exempt from offloading;
identify a second set of digital items that do not comply with the confidence level and that are nonexempt from offloading;
identify, based on contextual information linked to a user and subsequent to determinin

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Long Ping
• Bezerra Daniel Bressane

Classifications

• G06F3/0605

  by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator · CPC title

• G06F3/0607

  by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device · CPC title

• G06F3/0643 Primary

  Management of files · CPC title

• G06F3/0608

  Saving storage space on storage systems · CPC title

• G06F16/125 Primary

  characterised by the use of retention policies (retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185) · CPC title