Techniques for performing operations on migrated files without recalling data

• US 20050015409A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arkivio (Rocket Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arkivio (Rocket Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grewal, Bob, Kaushik, Rini, Cheng, Wen
• Application Number:
  US10/857,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015409A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

Techniques for performing operations on migrated files without triggering a recall of the migrated data. For example, embodiments of the present invention can perform a copy, move, or delete operation on a migrated file without recalling the migrated data associated with the file.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of copying a file, the method comprising:

receiving a request to copy a first file located in a first storage location to a target storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

making a copy of the first file in the target storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein making the copy of the first file comprises:

determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

copying the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the target storage location to create a target file; and

copying a portion of data stored in the stub file to the target file.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the data stored in the stub file comprises at least one of security attributes, file attributes, and extended attributes.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location.

5. A computer-implemented method of moving a file, the method comprising:

receiving a request to move a first file located in a first storage location to a target storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

moving the first file from the first storage location to the target storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein moving the first file comprises:

determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

copying the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the target storage location to create a target file;

copying a portion of data stored in the stub file to the target file;

deleting the stub file in the first storage location; and

deleting the migrated portion in the second storage location.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the data stored in the stub file comprises at least one of security attributes, file attributes, and extended attributes.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing a database storing information related to files whose portions have been migrated, the information comprising information for the first file; and

updating the information for the first file to reflect deletion of the stub file and the migrated portion of the first file.

9. A computer-implemented method of deleting a file, the method comprising:

receiving a request to delete a first file located in a first storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

deleting the first file from the first storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein deleting the first file comprises:

determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

deleting the stub file located in the first storage location; and

deleting the migrated portion of the first file located in the second storage location.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a database storing information related to files whose portions have been migrated, the information comprising information for the first file; and

updating the information for the first file to reflect deletion of the stub file and the migrated portion of the first file.

12. A computer-implemented method of performing an operation on a file, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a first operation on a first file located in a first storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

performing the first operation on first file without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first operation is to make a copy of the first file in a target storage location.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first operation is to move the first file from the first storage location to a target storage location.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first operation is to delete the first file from the first storage location.

16. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for copying a file, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a request to copy a first file located in a first storage location to a target storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

code for making a copy of the first file in the target storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein the code for making the copy of the first file comprises:

code for determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

code for copying the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the target storage location to create a target file; and

code for copying a portion of data stored in the stub file to the target file.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the data stored in the stub file comprises at least one of security attributes, file attributes, and extended attributes.

19. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for moving a file, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a request to move a first file located in a first storage location to a target storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

code for moving the first file from the first storage location to the target storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein the code for moving the first file comprises:

code for determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

code for copying the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the target storage location to create a target file;

code for copying a portion of data stored in the stub file to the target file;

code for deleting the stub file in the first storage location; and

code for deleting the migrated portion in the second storage location.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the data stored in the stub file comprises at least one of security attributes, file attributes, and extended attributes.

22. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

code for providing a database storing information related to files whose portions have been migrated, the information comprising information for the first file; and

code for updating the information for the first file to reflect deletion of the stub file and the migrated portion of the first file.

23. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for deleting a file, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a request to delete a first file located in a first storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

code for deleting the first file from the first storage location without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein a stub file is located in the first storage location in place of the first file and wherein the code for deleting the first file comprises:

code for determining the second storage location where the migrated portion of the first file is stored;

code for deleting the stub file located in the first storage location; and

code for deleting the migrated portion of the first file located in the second storage location.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 further comprising:

code for providing a database storing information related to files whose portions have been migrated, the information comprising information for the first file; and

code for updating the information for the first file to reflect deletion of the stub file and the migrated portion of the first file.

26. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium for performing an operation on a file, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a request to perform a first operation on a first file located in a first storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

code for performing the first operation on first file without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the first operation is to make a copy of the first file in a target storage location.

28. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the first operation is to move the first file from the first storage location to a target storage location.

29. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the first operation is to delete the first file from the first storage location.

30. A storage management system comprising:

a first storage unit;

a second storage unit; and

a data processing system;

wherein the data processing system is configured to;

receive a request to perform a first operation on a first file located on the first storage unit, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage unit to the second storage unit; and

perform the first operation on first file without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage unit to the first storage unit.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the first operation is to make a copy of the first file in a target storage location.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the first operation is to move the first file from the first storage location to a target storage location.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the first operation is to delete the first file from the first storage location.

34. An apparatus for performing operations on files, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request to perform a first operation on a first file located in a first storage location, wherein a portion of the first file has been migrated from the first storage location to a second storage location different from the first storage location; and

means for performing the first operation on first file without recalling the migrated portion of the first file from the second storage location to the first storage location.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the first operation is at least one of an operation to make a copy of the first file in a target storage location, an operation to move the first file from the first storage location to a target storage location, and an operation to delete the first file from the first storage location