System And Method For Determining Value Of Digital Content

Abstract

A novel system for performing valuations of file system objects include a processor configured to execute code and memory configured to store data and the code. The code includes an accumulator configured to accumulate secondary data associated with said file system objects, a data aggregator configured to arrange the secondary data in the memory, and a value generator configured to generate an object value indicative of the value of at least one of the file system objects to a particular entity. In a particular embodiment, the value generator creates a record in a valuation database to associate the object value with the at least one of the file system objects.

1 . A method for performing valuations of file system objects in a file storage system, said method comprising:
 accumulating secondary data associated with said file system objects, said secondary data being other than content of said file system objects;   arranging said secondary data in a storage device;   generating an object value indicative of the value of at least one of said file system objects to a particular entity; and   creating a record in a valuation database, said record associating said object value with said at least one of said file system objects.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of generating an object value includes generating a plurality of object values, each object value indicative of a distinct value of said at least one of said file system objects from a different perspective. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein one of said plurality of object values is indicative of a value of said at least one of said file system objects from a data security perspective. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein one of said plurality of object values is indicative of a value of said at least one of said file system objects from a business continuity perspective. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said secondary data includes data associated with said particular entity but not directly associated with any particular subset of said file system objects. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said object value is expressed in the form of a particular monetary currency. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of generating an object value includes:
 generating compound data based at least in part on said secondary data accumulated from different sources; and   using said compound data to generate said object value.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said compound data includes user activity data associated with said file system objects, said user activity data indicative of activity of users of said file storage system with respect to said file system objects. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accumulating primary data indicative of content of said individual ones of said file system objects; and   arranging said primary data in said storage device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of accumulating primary data includes scanning said individual ones of said file system objects to obtain said content from said individual ones of said file system objects. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said step of accumulating primary data includes categorizing said individual ones of said file system objects based at least in part on said content of said individual ones of said file system objects. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising utilizing at least a portion of said primary data and said secondary data to generate compound data, said compound data being indicative of relationships between individual ones of said file system objects. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of utilizing at least a portion of said primary data and said secondary data to generate compound data includes estimating the similarity of two or more different ones of said file system objects, based at least in part on said primary data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of accumulating secondary data includes accessing metadata associated with said individual ones of said file system objects. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of accumulating secondary data includes accumulating data indicative of an infrastructure of said file storage system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising expressing said object value of said at least one of said file system objects relative to object values of others of said file system objects. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said step of expressing said object value of said at least one of said file system objects relative to object values of others of said file system objects includes expressing said object value relative to a base value that is equal to a lowest object value of said object values of said others of said file system objects. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising utilizing said object value of said at least one of said file system objects to inform IT policy changes relating to said particular entity. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of accumulating secondary data includes accessing said file system objects of said file storage system over a wide area network. 
     
     
         20 . A valuation system for performing valuations of file system objects, said valuation system comprising:
 a processor configured to execute code;   memory configured to store data and said code, said code including
 an accumulator configured to accumulate secondary data associated with said file system objects, said secondary data being non-object-content data, 
 a data aggregator configured to arrange said secondary data in said memory, and 
 a value generator configured to generate an object value indicative of the value of at least one of said file system objects to a particular entity, and to create a record in a valuation database to associate said object value with said at least one of said file system objects. 
   
     
     
         21 - 39 . (canceled)