File Redundancy Detection and Mitigation

Abstract

Methods and systems for detecting and addressing file redundancies. A server may be configured to store a plurality of files associated with a plurality of identifiers. The identifiers may be generated using a hash function. The server may receive an indication of a first file. The indication of the first file may correspond to a user uploading the first file to the server, and may comprise a first identifier of the first file. The server may determine, by comparing the first identifier and the plurality of identifiers, that a second file is the same as the first file. Based on the second identifier, a pointer to the second file may be provided to prevent redundant storage of content similar to that of the second file. If an edit associated with a pointer, of a plurality of pointers to a centrally-stored file, is made, a new centrally-stored file may be created.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a request to store a file in a location of a computing system;   determining an identifier indicative of the file using a hash function;   comparing the identifier to another identifier for an existing file stored at a different location of the computing system; and   providing, in response to the identifier being the same as the another identifier, an indication of the existing file at the location instead of storing the file indicated by the request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a file system is configured to provide the indication of the existing file as a separate copy of the file. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request to store the file is initiated by an attempt, by a second computing system, to upload the file to the computing system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining the identifier comprises:
 receiving, from the second computing system, the identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an edit associated with the indication of the existing file;   creating, at a location corresponding to the indication of the existing file, a separate copy of the existing file; and   implementing the edit on the separate copy of the existing file.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the request to store the file comprises:
 detecting an operating system file handle that indicates creation of the file.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the unique string of characters is generated using a one-way hash function and based on content of the file. 
     
     
         8 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 receiving a request to store a file in a location of a computing system;   determining an identifier indicative of the file using a hash function;   comparing the identifier to another identifier for an existing file stored at a different location of the computing system; and   providing, in response to the identifier being the same as the another identifier, an indication of the existing file at the location instead of storing the file indicated by the request.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein a file system is configured to provide the indication of the existing file as a separate copy of the file. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the request to store the file is initiated by an attempt, by a second computing system, to upload the file to the computing system. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the determining the identifier by causing the computing system to receive the identifier from the second computing system. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 receiving an edit associated with the indication of the existing file;   creating, by the computing system and at a location corresponding to the indication of the existing file, a separate copy of the existing file; and   implementing the edit on the separate copy of the existing file.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the receiving the request to store the file by causing:
 detecting an operating system file handle that indicates creation of the file.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the determining the identifier by causing generation of the unique string of characters using a one-way hash function. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a computing system; and   a server;   wherein the computing system is configured to:
 transmit, to the server, a request to store a file in a location of a second computing system; and 
   wherein the server is configured to:
 receive the request; 
 determine an identifier indicative of the file using a hash function; 
 compare the identifier to another identifier for an existing file stored at a different location of the second computing system; and 
 provide, in response to the identifier being the same as the another identifier, an indication of the existing file at the location instead of storing the file indicated by the request. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein a file system is configured to provide the indication of the existing file as a separate copy of the file. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the request comprises the identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 receive an edit associated with the indication of the existing file;   create, at a location corresponding to the indication of the existing file, a separate copy of the existing file; and   implement the edit on the separate copy of the existing file.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the server is further configured to:
 transmit, to the computing system, a notification that the file already exists.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the notification comprises a link to the existing file.