Method, system and program product for managing a file system that includes an archive

• US 20060167949A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berger, Michael J., Munir, Kushal S., McKnight, David K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

An improved solution for managing a file system that includes an archive is provided. In particular, a request for a file system operation can be received and performed on an object that is stored in an archive. The file system operation can be received from a first computer and performed on the object on a second computer. Further, an archive manager can be included that manages an extensible set of archive handlers. In this case, each archive handler can implement a set of file system operations for archives of a particular archive type.

Claims

1. A method of managing a file system that includes an archive, the method comprising:

receiving, on a first computer, a request from a second computer to perform a file system operation;

determining an archive type for the archive;

selecting an archive handler based on the archive type; and

performing the file system operation on the first computer, wherein the archive handler performs at least a portion of the file system operation on the archive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file system operation comprises a browse operation corresponding to a start location in the file system, and wherein the performing step includes:

generating a hierarchical structure for the start location that includes a node for the archive; and

adding a virtual hierarchical structure for the archive to the hierarchical structure using the archive handler, wherein the virtual hierarchical structure includes a virtual node for an object stored in the archive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a search operation with a filter, and wherein the performing step includes selecting an object stored in the archive based on the filter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a result of the file system operation to the second computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a remote connection with the second computer prior to the receiving step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step includes providing the file system operation and at least one of the archive and an object stored in the archive to an archive manager, wherein the archive manager performs the determining and selecting steps.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the archive handler and the archive type that corresponds to the archive handler; and

associating the archive handler with the archive type.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the file system operation comprises a text search operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a second archive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step includes authenticating a user prior to performing the at least a portion of the file system operation on the archive.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the file system operation comprises an archive create operation.

12. A method of managing a file system that includes an archive, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a file system operation; and

performing the file system operation, wherein the performing step includes;

providing the file system operation and the archive to an archive manager; and

performing the file system operation on the archive using the archive manager, wherein the archive manager can perform the file system operation on an extensible set of archive types.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the file system operation is performed on an object stored in the archive.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the performing the file system operation on the archive step includes authenticating a user prior to performing the file system operation on the object.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the performing the file system operation on the archive step includes:

determining an archive type for the archive;

selecting an archive handler based on the archive type; and

performing the file system operation on the archive using the archive handler.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining the archive handler and a corresponding archive type; and

associating the archive handler with the corresponding archive type, wherein the selecting step is based on the association.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the archive handler implements a set of file system operations for archives having the archive type.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of file system operations includes a text search operation, an add operation, a delete operation, a rename operation, an extract operation, and a browse operation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of file system operations includes an archive create operation.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a result of the file system operation from the archive manager.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the request is received from a second computer remote from the file system.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of the file system; and

updating the displayed portion of the file system based on a result of the file system operation.

23. A system for managing a file system that includes an archive, the system comprising:

a processing system for performing a file system operation on an object stored in the file system;

an archive manager for managing an extensible set of archive handlers; and

at least one archive handler for performing the file system operation on an object stored in the archive.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a request system for receiving a request to perform a file system operation.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the request is received from a second computer remote from the file system.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising a result system for receiving a result of the file system operation.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising a display system for displaying at least a portion of the file system.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the archive manager includes an association system for associating the at least one archive handler with a corresponding archive type.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the archive manager includes a selection system for selecting one of the extensible set of archive handlers for performing the file system operation.

30. A program product stored on a computer-readable medium, which when executed, manages a file system that includes an archive, the program product comprising:

program code for receiving, on a first computer, a request from a second computer to perform a file system operation;

program code for determining an archive type for the archive;

program code for selecting an archive handler based on the archive type; and

program code for performing the file system operation on the first computer, wherein the archive handler performs at least a portion of the file system operation on the archive.

31. The program product of claim 30, further comprising program code for managing an extensible set of archive handlers, wherein the program code for managing includes the program code for determining and the program code for selecting.

32. The program product of claim 31, wherein the program code for performing includes program code for providing the file system operation and at least one of the archive and an object stored in the archive to the program code for managing.

33. The program product of claim 31, wherein the program code for managing includes program code for associating an archive handler with a corresponding archive type.

34. The program product of claim 30, further comprising program code for providing a result of the file system operation to the second computer.

35. The program product of claim 30, wherein the program code for performing includes program code for authenticating a user prior to performing the file system operation on the object.

36. A file system explorer comprising:

a display system for displaying at least a portion of a file system that includes an archive;

a request system for receiving a request to perform a file system operation;

a processing system for performing the file system operation on an object stored in the file system;

an archive manager for managing an extensible set of archive handlers; and

at least one archive handler for performing at least a portion of the file system operation on an object stored in the archive.

37. The file system explorer of claim 36, further comprising a result system for receiving a result of the file system operation.

38. The file system explorer of claim 36, wherein the archive manager includes an association system for associating the at least one archive handler with a corresponding archive type.

39. The file system explorer of claim 36, wherein the archive manager includes a selection system for selecting one of the extensible set of archive handlers for performing the file system operation.

40. A method of deploying an application for managing a file system that includes an archive, the method comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive, on a first system, a request from a second system to perform a file system operation;

determine an archive type for the archive;

select an archive handler based on the archive type; and

perform the file system operation on the first computer, wherein the archive handler performs at least a portion of the file system operation on the archive.

41. Computer software embodied in a propagated signal for managing a file system that includes an archive, the computer software comprising instructions to cause a computer system to perform the following functions:

receive, on a first system, a request from a second system to perform a file system operation;

determine an archive type for the archive;

select an archive handler based on the archive type; and

perform the file system operation on the first computer, wherein the archive handler performs at least a portion of the file system operation on the archive.