Changed files list with time buckets for efficient storage management

Abstract

There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a computer processing system, an apparatus including a memory for managing file data, comprising:
 a changed files manager for creating and managing a changed files list that at least directly identifies the files that have changed based on time of change, the changed files list associated with a plurality of time buckets, each of the plurality of time buckets directly representing a respective date and time period and being associated with file change records for files having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period, each of the file change records associated with a unique file identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the files, the timestamp specifying a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the files.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the changed files list is configured for use by a storage management process. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the storage management process includes at least one of data backup and data replication. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is implemented in a file system, and an amount of file change records in the changed files list is without change except when a new file is created or when an existing file is deleted from the file system. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the changed files list is configured for use by a storage management process that is executed periodically or on demand, and wherein, for a current execution of the storage management process, only file change records in corresponding ones of the plurality of time buckets that are subsequent to an immediately previous execution of the storage management process are considered. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the files in the file change records is further associated with at least one of a file type, a change type, a list of parent identifiers of directories through which that file is accessible. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the changed files list only identifies the files that have changed to an exclusion of non-changed files. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the unique file identifier is determined independent of the plurality of time buckets. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the changed files list at least directly identifies the files that have changed directly based on time of change. 
     
     
         10 . In a computer processing system, a method for managing file data, comprising the step of:
 at least one of creating and maintaining a changed files list that is partitioned into a plurality of time buckets, each of the plurality of time buckets directly representing a respective date and time period and being associated with file change records for files having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period, each of the file change records associated with a unique file identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the files, the timestamp specifying a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the files,   wherein the changed files list directly identifies the files that have changed based on the respective date and time periods of corresponding ones of the plurality of time buckets.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of using the changed files list for a storage management process. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is implemented in a file system, and an amount of file change records in the changed files list is without change except when a new file is created or when an existing file is deleted from the file system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the method is used for a storage management process that is executed periodically or on demand, and the method comprises the step of, for a current execution of the storage management process, considering only file change records in corresponding ones of the plurality of time buckets that are subsequent to an immediately previous execution of the storage management process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the files in the file change records is further associated with at least one of a file type, a change type, a list of parent identifiers of directories through which that file is accessible. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein time granularities of the plurality of time buckets are variable such that different ones of the plurality of time buckets are capable of representing different time periods. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including computer usable program code for managing file data, said computer program product including:
 computer usable program code for at least one of creating and maintaining a changed files list that is partitioned into a plurality of time buckets, each of the plurality of time buckets directly representing a respective date and time period and being associated with file change records for files having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period, each of the file change records associated with a unique file identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the files, the timestamp specifying a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the files,   wherein the changed files list directly identifies the files that have changed based on the respective date and time periods of corresponding ones of the plurality of time buckets.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising computer usable program code for using the changed files list for a storage management process. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method is implemented in a file system, and an amount of file change records in the changed files list is without change except when a new file is created or when an existing file is deleted from the file system. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the method is used for a storage management process that is executed periodically or on demand, and the method comprises computer usable program code for, for a current execution of the storage management process, considering only file change records in corresponding ones of the plurality of time buckets that are subsequent to an immediately previous execution of the storage management process. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein each of the files in the file change records is further associated with at least one of a file type, a change type, a list of parent identifiers of directories through which that file is accessible.