Policy-based management of a redundant array of independent nodes

Abstract From the Canadian patent

An apparatus for use in a cluster system comprises a metadata manager configured to manage content data as a data object by associating metadata with the , content data, and a policy manager. The metadata includes policy data and the , policy , data comprises one or more policies to be applied to the content data. The apparatus , also includes a memory configured to store the data object. One or more policies , corresponding to the policy data in the metadata of the data object are enforced while , the data object is stored in the memory. Preferably policy enforcement for , the data , object is carried out independent of policy enforcement for at least one other data , object.