SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SHADOWING DATA AND FILE DIRECTORY STRUCTURES FOR A PLURALITY OF NETWORK-CONNECTED COMPUTERS USING A NETWORK-ATACHED MEMORY

摘要

The Networked Data Shadowing System comprises a memory module that is con nected to a plurality of monitored computer systems via an existing communic ation medium to store the shadowed data. The memory module includes one or m ore memory devices for data storage as well as software, including a control software component that is automatically installed on the monitored compute r systems when the monitored computer system is first connected to the memor y module, as well as associated module software for maintaining a record of the data stored on the memory devices and controlling the operation of the m emory devices. The Networked Data Shadowing System operates autonomously and achieves a significant amount of data storage efficiency by implementing a "data de-duplication" process to avoid storing multiple copies of the same f iles.