{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9720921","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9720921","title":"Mapping structure for maintaining metadata for snapshots in a virtualized storage environment","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2014-05-15T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-08-01T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","H04L","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F","G06F"],"num_claims":30,"abstract":"A method for maintaining a mapping structure for maintaining metadata for snapshots in a virtualized storage environment, includes taking a snapshot of a virtual disk, generating an entry in a metadata structure for the snapshot, wherein the entry includes metadata for blocks in the snapshot that have been modified since a preceding snapshot and lazily generating an entry in the mapping structure for the snapshot, wherein the entry includes values for each block in the snapshot, wherein a value for a block indicates a presence of metadata in the metadata structure for the block or an absence of metadata in the metadata structure for the block."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Mapping structure for maintaining metadata for snapshots in a virtualized storage environment","description":"A method for maintaining a mapping structure for maintaining metadata for snapshots in a virtualized storage environment, includes taking a snapshot of a virtual disk, generating an entry in a metadat","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9720921","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9720921","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Mapping structure for maintaining metadata for snapshots in a virtualized storage environment\" (US-9720921). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9720921","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9720921","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9720921","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T05:49:42.051Z"}