Patent attributes
A data handling system having a physical storage device and a storage controller responsible for provisioning, managing, and servicing logical unit numbers (LUNs) with self-destruction properties on the physical storage device is disclosed. For a given LUN, the storage controller creates a profile including self-destruction properties, such as a LUN destruction date, and associates the profile with the LUN. The profiles may be independent of file format and content of any associated data and the LUN destruction date may be a function of the last access date of the associated data. The storage controller monitors the LUN destruction date associated with each LUN and determines the last access date of any associated data. The storage controller marks a LUN having a past-due LUN destruction date, notifies a user of an approaching LUN destruction date, and destroys any past-due LUNs.
