Automated data classification system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus where a user may enter information into a computing device that may allow the computing device to classify data or files that are stored on one or more computing devices to be quickly classified. Methods and systems consistent with the present disclosure allow a user to identify data by a type of data or file and provide classification information such that the computing device may identify data by the data type and to classify that data automatically according to a rule. The information entered by a user that wishes to classify stored data may be entered over a graphical user interface (GUI) at a user device.

1 . A method for managing data, the method comprising:
 receiving a data set from each of a plurality of associated computing devices, each received data set including one or more attributes associated with managing one or more files;   receiving user input that includes additional attributes for classifying the one or more files;   displaying a generated visualization that identifies a memory capacity consumed at one or more of the associated computing devices according to a classification identified by additional attribute information included in the user input;   receiving a rule for managing the one or more files, the received rule based on at least one of the attributes or additional attributes; and   initiating a data management operation by applying the rule to classify the files of each data set based on the attributes and additional attributes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user input includes text data identifying that the one or more files should be classified according to the text data when the visualization is generated. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a work related classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a personal classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning a sensitive classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating the one or more files with a security level based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the data management operation includes overwriting the one or more files based on the security level. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the rule in a database. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor for implementing a method for managing data, the method comprising:
 receiving a data set from each of a plurality of associated computing devices, each received data set including one or more attributes associated with managing one or more files;   receiving user input that includes additional attributes for classifying the one or more files;   displaying a generated visualization that identifies a memory capacity consumed at one or more of the associated computing devices according to a classification identified by additional attribute information included in the user input;   receiving a rule for managing the one or more files, the received rule based on at least one of the attributes or additional attributes; and   initiating a data management operation by applying the rule to classify the files of each data set based on the attributes and additional attributes.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the user input includes text data identifying that the one or more files should be classified according to the text data when the visualization is generated. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , the program further executable to assign a work related classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , the program further executable to assign a personal classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , the program further executable to assign a sensitive classification to the one or more files based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , the program further executable to associate the one or more files with a security level based on the additional attributes. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the data management operation includes overwriting the one or more files based on the security level. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , the program further executable to store the additional user input that identifies the rule in a database. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for managing data, the apparatus comprising:
 a display;   a memory; and   a processor that executes instructions out of the memory to:
 receive a data set from each of a plurality of associated computing devices via a communication interface, each received data set including one or more attributes associated with managing one or more files, 
 receive user input that includes additional attributes for classifying the one or more files, 
 generate a visualization that identifies a memory capacity consumed at one or more of the associated computing devices according to a classification identified by additional attribute information included in the user input, wherein the visualization is displayed on the display, 
 receive a rule for managing the one or more files, the received rule based on at least one of the attributes or additional attributes, and 
 initiate a data management operation by applying the rule to classify the files of each data set based on the attributes and additional attributes. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a database that stores the additional attributes. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a database that stores the rule. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processor also executes instructions out of the memory to associate the one or more files with a security level based on the additional attributes.