Storage system and method, and computer program

TL;DR: In this article, a user management server 3 is equipped with: a request storage file storage means consisting of a personal storage region assigned to each user; and a common storage region.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a storage for contents to be utilized individually, to a number of users while saving on a storage capacitance. SOLUTION: A user management server 3 is equipped with: a request storage file storage means consisting of a personal storage region assigned to each user; and a common storage region. A storage file of video or audio contents storage-requested from a client terminal 2 is read from a storage server 1 and written into the personal storage region of a corresponding user, and use storage region information indicating the storage region is stored. When it is detected that the same storage file is stored in personal storage regions of a plurality of users, the user management server 3 deletes this storage file, writes it into the common storage region and updates the use storage region information so as to refer to the storage file in the common storage region. When a request to distribute contents is received from the client terminal 2, the storage file is read from the personal storage region or the common storage region, and is distributed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT