Chronological based retention for objects archived through a web-based storage interface for ILM

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a retention date-time request via a web-based filesystem protocol, wherein the web-based filesystem protocol is WebDAV, wherein the retention date-time request is received from an information lifecycle management (“ILM”) component and comprises an associated retention value, the ILM component comprises a performance requirement to apply a retention date-time to a filesystem object stored in a content store of a document content server, and the retention date-time request is for the filesystem object in a content management system;

extracting the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol to process the retention date-time within a meta information store of the document content server;

determining a type of filesystem object to which the retention date-time is to be applied;

in the event the type of filesystem object is a folder, cascading the received retention date-time request to associated filesystem objects within the filesystem object stored in the content store of the document content server;

determining whether a retention value has been applied to the filesystem object; and

in the event the retention value has been applied to the filesystem object, comparing the retention value associated with the filesystem object with the retention value associated with the retention date-time request and if valid, setting the retention value directly on a retention property associated with the filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request, the retention property stored in the meta information store of the document content server; and

in the event the retention value has not been applied to the filesystem object, setting the retention value associated with the filesystem object based on the received retention date-time request; and

enabling a records manager to use the meta information store associated with the document content server for policy enforcement processes, wherein a records management and retention policy service associated with the records manager and the document content server applies a retention policy associated with the filesystem object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retention date-time request is associated with one or more of the following: a PropPatch request, a PropFind request, a MkCol request, a Put request, and a Delete request.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the retention date-time request is one or more of the following: a set retention date request, a retrieve retention date request and a legal hold request.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the retention date-time request is XML based.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the set retention date request and the retrieve retention date request comprises a date-time and value pair.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the legal hold request comprises a Boolean value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ILM component is a SAP component.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performance requirement is SAP BC-ILM 3.0 certification.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the document content server is associated with the records management and retention policy service to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the records management and retention policy service uses an iterative event-based metadata storage system to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the records management and retention policy service also uses the iterative event-based metadata storage system for ten or more other date-time properties.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the meta information store includes a property directly associated with a given filesystem object that describes a time until which the given filesystem object is retained.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

extracting the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol comprises determining that the WebDAV request includes a PROPPATCH request containing a retention date to be set; and

setting the retention value associated with filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request further comprises directly setting the retention date on a retention property in the meta information store, the retention property associated with the filesystem object.

14. A system, comprising:

an information lifecycle management (“ILM”) connector coupled to an ILM component, coupled to a document content server;

a processor associated with the ILM connector and configured to:

receive, from the ILM component, a retention date-time request via a web-based filesystem protocol, wherein the web-based filesystem protocol is WebDAV, wherein the retention date-time request comprises an associated retention value, the ILM component comprises a performance requirement to apply a retention date-time to a filesystem object stored in a content store of a document content server, and the retention date-time request is for the filesystem object in a content management system;

extract the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol to process the retention date-time within a meta information store associated with the document content server;

determine a type of filesystem object to which the retention date-time is to be applied;

in the event the type of filesystem object is a folder, cascade the received retention date-time request to associated filesystem objects within the system object stored in the content store of the document content server;

determine whether a retention value has been applied to the filesystem object; and

in the event the retention value has been applied to the filesystem object, compare the retention value associated with the filesystem object with the retention value associated with the retention date-time request and if valid, set a retention value directly on a retention property associated with the filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request, the retention property stored in the meta information store of the document content server; and

in the event the retention value has not been applied to the filesystem object, set the retention value associated with the document based on the received retention date-time request; and

enable a records manager to use the meta information store associated with the document content server for policy enforcement processes, wherein a records management and retention policy service associated with the records manager and the document content server applies a retention policy associated with the filesystem object; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

15. The system recited in claim 14 , wherein:

the retention date-time request is associated with one or more of the following:

a PropPatch request, a PropFind request, a MkCol request, a Put request, and a Delete request; and

the retention date-time request is one or more of the following: a set retention date request, a retrieve retention date request and a legal hold request.

16. The system recited in claim 14 , wherein:

the document content server is associated with the records management and retention policy service to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object;

the records management and retention policy service uses an iterative event-based metadata storage system to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object; and

the records management and retention policy service also uses the iterative event-based metadata storage system for ten or more other date-time properties.

17. The system recited in claim 14 , wherein:

extracting the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol comprises determining that the WebDAV request includes a PROPPATCH request containing a retention date to be set; and

the ILM connector comprises an API configured to directly set the retention date on a retention property in the meta information store to set the retention value associated with filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request, the retention property associated with the filesystem object.

18. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a retention date-time request via a web-based filesystem protocol, wherein the web-based filesystem protocol is WebDAV, wherein the retention date-time request is received from an information lifecycle management (“ILM”) component and comprises an associated retention value, the ILM component comprises a performance requirement to apply a retention date-time to a filesystem object stored in a content store of a document content server, and the retention date-time request is for the filesystem object in a content management system;

extracting the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol to process the retention date-time within a meta information store associated with the document content server;

determining a type of filesystem object to which the retention date-time is to be applied;

in the event the type of filesystem object is a folder, cascading received the retention date-time request to associated filesystem objects within the filesystem object stored in the content store of the document content server;

determining whether a retention value has been applied to the filesystem object; and

in the event the retention value has been applied to the filesystem object, compare the retention value associated with the filesystem object with the retention value associated with the retention date-time request and if valid, setting a retention value directly on a retention property associated with the filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request, the retention property stored in the meta information store of the document content server; and

in the event the retention value has not been applied to the filesystem object, setting the retention value associated with the filesystem object based on the received retention date-time request; and

enabling a records manager to use the meta information store associated with the document content server for policy enforcement processes, wherein a records management and retention policy service associated with the records manager and the document content server applies a retention policy associated with the filesystem object.

19. The computer program product recited in claim 18 , wherein:

the retention date-time request is associated with one or more of the following:

a PropPatch request, a PropFind request, a MkCol request, a Put request, and a Delete request; and

the retention date-time request is one or more of the following: a set retention date request, a retrieve retention date request and a legal hold request.

20. The computer program product recited in claim 18 , wherein:

the document content server is associated with the records management and retention policy service to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object;

the records management and retention policy service uses an iterative event-based metadata storage system to store and retrieve properties associated with the filesystem object; and

the records management and retention policy service also uses the iterative event-based metadata storage system for ten or more other date-time properties.

21. The computer program product recited in claim 18 , wherein:

extracting the received retention date-time request from the web-based filesystem protocol comprises determining that the WebDAV request includes a PROPPATCH request containing a retention date to be set; and

setting the retention value associated with filesystem object based on the retention value associated with the retention date-time request further comprises directly setting the retention date on a retention property in the meta information store, the retention property associated with the filesystem object.