Method and apparatus for performing emergency shutdown of a malfunctioning computer system saving all open files, data, and work in progress to a remote data storage business entity

摘要

A method is disclosed for operating a digital data processing system, as is a digital data processing system that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes steps of (A) detecting an activation of a user input that indicates that the system or a program executed by the system has become non-responsive to the user; (B) in response to detecting the activation of the user input, transferring to a data storage business entity, through a data communications network, selected user information; and (C) operating the data storage business entity so as to store the transferred user information, and to subsequently retrieve and transfer back to the digital data processing system at least some of the stored user information. Also disclosed is a data storage business entity having a data communications network interface for coupling the data storage business entity to client data processing systems and a controller that is responsive to an arrival of information from a client data processing system for storing the information and for subsequently retrieving and transferring at least some of the retrieved information back to the client data processing system. The controller further operates to charge the client data processing system for at least one of storing the user information, retrieving the stored information, or for being available to store and retrieve the user information.