Method, system and program for archiving files

1. A method for archiving files in a computer system, comprising:

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

associating an archival retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system by including a description of the retention policy in a pathname of the at least one directory in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy indicated in the pathname of the directory 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; and

receiving file system commands to include a file in the at least one directory associated with the archival retention policy, wherein using the file system commands to include the file in the directory subjects the included file with the archival retention policy associated with the directory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pathname of the directory including the description of the retention policy is displayed in a display of the hierarchical file system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the description of the retention policy included in the pathname of the directory specifies a time period of the retention.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is connected to a storage system over a network, and wherein the hierarchical file system provides access and the retention policy applies to files stored in the storage system over the network.

7. A system archiving files, comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable storage medium including:

a hierarchical file system having directories in a computer readable medium, wherein an archival retention policy is associated with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system by associating an archival retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system by including a description of the retention policy in a pathname of the at least one directory in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy indicated in the pathname of the directory 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; and

file system commands to include a file in the at least one directory associated with the archival retention policy, wherein using the file system commands to include the file in the directory subjects the included file with the archival retention policy associated with the directory.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the description of the retention policy included in the pathname of the directory specifies a time period of the retention.

9. The system of claim 7 , 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.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system is connected to a storage system over a network, and wherein the hierarchical file system provides access and the retention policy applies to files stored in the storage system over the network.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable storage medium having code executed by a processor for archiving files by performing operations, the operations comprising:

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

associating an archival retention policy with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system by including a description of the retention policy in a pathname of the at least one directory in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy indicated in the pathname of the directory 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; and

receiving file system commands to include a file in the at least one directory associated with the archival retention policy, wherein using the file system commands to include the file in the directory subjects the included file with the archival retention policy associated with the directory.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the pathname of the directory including the description of the retention policy is displayed in a display of the hierarchical file system.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the description of the retention policy included in the pathname of the directory specifies a time period of the retention.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , 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.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , 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.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the processor and the computer readable storage medium are implemented in a computer system connected to a storage system over a network, and wherein the hierarchical file system provides access and the retention policy applies to files stored in the storage system over the network.