Method, system, and program for archiving files

1. A method for archiving files in a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

providing a hierarchical file system having directories in the computer readable storage medium;

associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

receiving a request directed to a target file;

determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy; and

determining whether the target file is included within a directory associated with an unlimited retention that is a subdirectory of the directory associated with the retention policy, wherein the received request directed to the target file is not allowed to proceed if the target file is also included within one directory associated with the unlimited retention even if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the retention policy with one directory comprises indicating a retention policy code in a pathname of the directory.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the retention policy code in the pathname specifies a time period during which the retention policy applies to files within the directory.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the retention policy code in the pathname of the directory provides a description of the retention policy.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time period comprises one of: a specified date, wherein the retention policy applies to files in the directory prior to the specified date; a specified time period, wherein the retention policy applies to each file in the directory for the specified time period following a time the file was modified; and an unlimited period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retention policy applies up until the retention time, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than the retention time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retention time specifies a time period, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than a time comprising a time the target file was last modified plus the specified time period.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request directed to the target file comprises a request to erase or move the target file, and wherein applying the retention policy comprises preventing the request to erase or move the target file from occurring.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy, then allowing the received request directed to the target file to proceed.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retention policy comprises a non-re-writable and non-erasable retention policy and wherein the directories and files therein are stored in a magnetic storage medium.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein additional subdirectories may be included in the directory associated with the retention policy, and wherein the retention policy applies to any file within the additional subdirectories.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directory associated with the retention policy is a subdirectory of another directory.

13. A method for archiving files in a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

providing a hierarchical file system having directories representing files in the computer readable storage medium;

associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

receiving a request to move the target file from a current directory including the target file to a target directory;

determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention police; and

applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy by:

allowing the target file to be moved to the target directory if the target directory is associated with a retention policy that has a same or longer retention time than the retention policy associated with the current directory; and

denying the requested move operation if the retention policy associated with the target directory has a shorter retention time than that for the retention policy associated with the current directory.

14. A system for archiving files, comprising:

a memory device including a hierarchical file system having directories; and

means for associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

means for receiving a request directed to a target file;

means for determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

means for determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

means for applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy; and

means for determining whether the target file is included within a directory associated with an unlimited retention that is a subdirectory of the directory associated with the retention policy, wherein the received request directed to the target file is not allowed to proceed if the target file is also included within one directory associated with the unlimited retention even if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for associating the retention policy with one directory indicates a retention policy code in a pathname of the directory.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the retention policy code in the pathname specifies a time period during which the retention policy applies to files within the directory.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the time period comprises one of: a specified date, wherein the retention policy applies to files in the directory prior to the specified date; a specified time period, wherein the retention policy applies to each file in the directory for

the specified time period following a time the file was modified; and an unlimited period of time.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the retention policy applies up until the retention time, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than the retention time.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the retention time specifies a time period, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than a time comprising a time the target file was last modified plus the specified time period.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the request directed to the target file comprises a request to erase or move the target file, and wherein the means for applying the retention policy prevents the request to erase or move the target file from occurring.

21. The system of claim 14 , wherein if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy, then the received request directed to the target file is allowed to proceed.

22. The system of claim 14 , wherein additional subdirectories may be included in the directory associated with the retention policy, and wherein the retention policy applies to any file within the additional subdirectories.

23. The system of claim 14 , wherein the directory associated with the retention policy is a subdirectory of another directory.

24. A system for archiving files, comprising:

a memory device including a hierarchical file system having directories;

means for associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

means for receiving a request to move the target file from a current directory including the target file to a target directory;

means for determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

means for determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy; and

means for applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy by:

allowing the target file to be moved to the target directory if the target directory is associated with a retention policy that has a same or longer retention time than the retention policy associated with the current directory; and

denying the requested move operation if the retention policy associated with the target directory has a shorter retention time than that for the retention policy associated with the current directory.

25. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable storage medium including code that is executed for archiving files, wherein the code is executed to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

providing a hierarchical file system having directories;

associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

receiving a request directed to a target file;

determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy; and

determining whether the target file is included within a directory associated with an unlimited retention that is a subdirectory of the directory associated with the retention policy, wherein the received request directed to the target file is not allowed to proceed if the target file is also included within one directory associated with the unlimited retention even if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein associating the retention policy with one directory comprises indicating a retention policy code in a pathname of the directory.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26 , wherein the retention policy code in the pathname specifies a time period during which the retention policy applies to files within the directory.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27 , wherein the retention policy code in the pathname of the directory provides a description of the retention policy.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the time period comprises one of: a specified date, wherein the retention policy applies to files in the directory prior to the specified date; a specified time period, wherein the retention policy applies to each file in the directory for the specified time period following a time the file was modified; and an unlimited period of time.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the retention policy applies up until the retention time, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than the retention time.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the retention time specifies a time period, and wherein the retention policy applies to the target file if a current time is not greater than a time comprising a time the target file was last modified plus the specified time period.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the request directed to the target file comprises a request to erase or move the target file, and wherein applying the retention policy comprises preventing the request to erase or move the target file from occurring.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein if the target file is not currently subject to the retention policy, then allowing the received request directed to the target file to proceed.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the retention policy comprises a non-re-writable and non-erasable retention policy and wherein the directories and files therein are stored in a magnetic storage medium.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein additional subdirectories may be included in the directory associated with the retention policy, and wherein the retention policy applies to any file within the additional subdirectories.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein the directory associated with the retention policy is a subdirectory of another directory.

37. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable storage medium including code that is executed for archiving files, wherein the code is executed to cause operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

providing a hierarchical file system having directories;

associating a retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy;

receiving a request to move a target file from a current directory including the target file to a target directory;

determining whether the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy;

determining whether the retention time of the retention policy indicates that the target file is currently subject to retention in response to determining that the target file is included within the directory associated with the retention policy; and

applying the retention policy to the target file if the target file is currently subject to the retention policy by:

allowing the target file to be moved to the target directory if the target directory is associated with a retention policy that has a same or longer retention time than the retention policy associated with the current directory; and

denying the requested move operation if the retention policy associated with the target directory has a shorter retention time than that for the retention policy associated with the current directory.