Tracking and replicating file system changes

• US 20050091286A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Levanta, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Levanta, Inc.
• Inventors: Fineberg, Adam, Khan, Akmal
• Application Number:
  US10/941,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091286A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system

Abstract

Management of file system changes among multiple instances is provided. Changes to file systems include addition, modification, and removal of files. A modification sentry monitors file system operations taking place on the source file system. When a file is modified on the source file system, the modification sentry makes a corresponding entry in the repository. If a file is added, the file name and file contents are stored in the repository. If a file is modified, the file name, modification, and additionally the entire file are stored in the repository. If a file is removed, only the name of the file is stored in the repository. Logic is also provided for propagating modifications to special-type files. To propagate the modifications to target file systems, a file system update engine of packages a vector derived from the repository for application to other file systems.

Claims

1. A system for propagating modifications to a file system, the system comprising:

a modification sentry for determining modifications made to a source file system;

a data store, communicatively coupled to the modification sentry, for receiving and storing indicia of modifications made to the source file system from the modification sentry; and

a file system update engine, communicatively coupled to the data store, for propagating the modifications to the source file system indicated in the repository to at least one target file system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the source file system is a Linux file system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one target file system is a Linux file system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the indicated modifications include file additions.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the indicated modifications include for each added file a pathname of the added file and the added file.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the indicated modifications include file modifications.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the indicated modifications include for each modified file a name of the modified file, the modified file, and the modifications to the file.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the indicated modifications include file deletions.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the indicated modifications include for each deleted file a pathname of the deleted file.

10. A computer-implemented method for propagating modifications to a file system, the method comprising:

receiving indications of modifications to a source file system;

storing the indications of the modifications to the source file system in a data store; and

propagating the modifications indicated in the data store to at least one target file system.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein prior to receiving indications of modifications to the source file system, the source file system is in a first state;

and

wherein the at least one target file system is not in the first state.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the modifications to the source file system include addition of a file to the source file system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the modifications to the source file system include modification of a file on the source file system.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 wherein the modifications to the source file system include removing a file from the source file system.

15. A computer program product for propagating modifications to a file system, the computer program product stored on a computer readable medium and including instructions to cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

receiving indications of modifications to a source file system;

storing the indications of the modifications to the source file system in a data store; and

propagating the modifications indicated in the data store to at least one target file system.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein prior to receiving indications of modifications to the source file system, the source file system is in a first state;

and

wherein he at least one target file system is not in the first state.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the modifications to the source file system include addition of a file to the source file system.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the modifications to the source file system include modification of a file on the source file system.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the modifications to the source file system include removing a file from the source file system.