UProve2: privacy-aware, scalable, ubiquitous provenance to enhance file search

Abstract

Rapid growth and highly scattered nature of files make efficient file management (e.g., recalling, identifying, locating, and retrieving files), a challenging problem. Traditional search requires the user to remember the file name, extension, path, storage device, etc. Existing research have shown that users often cannot remember these information accurately, which results in exhaustive, inconvenient, and repeated file search. We have observed that keeping the provenance of files aid in quick locating of desired/latest version of a file. We propose a provenance system that, (1) does not require migration to a modified/new storage/file system, (2) is unified, (3) considers ubiquitous nature of storage systems that are already in use, and (4) enhances file search, and (5) is privacy-aware.