Unified local-remote logical volume

• US 20060020637A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jpmorgan Chase Bank NA As The Agent
• Original Assignee: M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Kedem, Noam
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A method of managing local and remote data storage including displaying to a user, as a single logical volume, file names referencing both local data files and remote data files. The user individually selects file names and assigns a location attribute to the file names: residing only on the remote data storage, residing only the local data storage; residing on both the local data storage and the remote data storage. The location attribute of residing only on the remote data storage causes the local data file to be erased. The location attribute of residing only on the local data storage causes the remote data file to be erased. The location attribute, of residing on both the local data storage and the remote data storage, causes the files to be synchronized.

Claims

1. A method of managing data storage in a computer including local data storage storing at least one local data file and remote data storage storing at least one remote data file, the method comprising:

(a) displaying to a user of the computer as a single logical volume at least one file name referencing at least one data file selected from the group of the at least one local data file and the at least one remote data file on a display operatively connected to the computer; and

(b) individually assigning a location attribute to said at least one file name;

wherein said location attribute is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) residing solely on the remote data storage;

(ii) residing solely on the local data storage; and

iii) residing on both the remote data storage and the local data storage.

2. The method, according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, prior to said displaying:

(c) merging the at least one local data file and the at least one remote data file into said single logical volume.

3. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said displaying further includes displaying said location attribute.

4. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said location attribute of said at least one file name referencing said at least one data file is:

(i) residing solely on the remote data storage;

further comprising the step of;

(c) erasing said at least one data file on the local data storage.

5. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said location attribute of said at least one file name referencing said at least one data file is:

(ii) residing solely on the local data storage;

further comprising the step of;

(c) erasing said at least one data file on the remote data storage.

6. The method, according to claim 5, wherein solely the local data storage is connected to the computer, performing said erasing upon connecting the remote data storage to the computer.

7. The method, according to claim 1, wherein said location attribute of said at least one file name referencing said at least one data file is:

(iii) residing on both the remote data storage and the local data storage;

further comprising the step of

(c) synchronizing said at least one data file on both the remote data storage and the local data storage.

8. The method, according to claim 7, wherein solely the local data storage is connected to the computer, performing said synchronizing upon connecting the remote data storage to the computer.

9. A system for managing data storage in a computer including local data storage storing at least one local data file and remote data storage storing at least one remote data file, the system comprising:

(a) a display operatively connected to the computer which displays as a single logical volume at least one file name referencing at least one data file selected from the group consisting of the at least one local data file and the at least one remote data file; and

(b) an input mechanism for individually assigning for at least one file name a location attribute, wherein said location attribute is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) residing solely on the remote data storage;

(ii) residing solely on the local data storage; and

iii) residing on both the remote data storage and the local data storage.

10. The system, according to claim 9, wherein said display further displays said location attribute to the user.