SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SNAPSHOT OF DATA
First Claim
1. A data storage system for providing intuitive access to previous versions of files or directories, the system comprising:
- at least one computer processor;
at least one memory;
a file system stored on the at least one memory, the file system comprising multiple data structures logically arranged hierarchically, each data structure comprising a file or directory, the multiple data structures comprising;
a root data structure;
a target data structure;
a non-ancestor subset of data structures which are descendants of the root data structure and which are not in a path between the root data structure and the target data structure; and
an ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path between the root data structure and the target data structure and providing at least portions of access paths between the root data structure and the non-ancestor subset of data structures; and
at least one executable software module executed by the at least one computer processor and configured to;
generate a snapshot version of the target data structure; and
generate a mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures, the mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path from the root data structure to the snapshot version of the target data structure and not providing any portion of the access paths from the root data structure to the non-ancestor subset of data structures.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In one embodiment, the metadata comprises mini-snapshots for directories representing a path from the root of the file system to the root of the snapshot. The mini-snapshots serve as stand-ins for portions of the file system which are not included in the snapshot, but which permit access to the snapshot data in an intuitive way.
159 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A data storage system for providing intuitive access to previous versions of files or directories, the system comprising:
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at least one computer processor; at least one memory; a file system stored on the at least one memory, the file system comprising multiple data structures logically arranged hierarchically, each data structure comprising a file or directory, the multiple data structures comprising; a root data structure; a target data structure; a non-ancestor subset of data structures which are descendants of the root data structure and which are not in a path between the root data structure and the target data structure; and an ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path between the root data structure and the target data structure and providing at least portions of access paths between the root data structure and the non-ancestor subset of data structures; and at least one executable software module executed by the at least one computer processor and configured to; generate a snapshot version of the target data structure; and generate a mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures, the mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path from the root data structure to the snapshot version of the target data structure and not providing any portion of the access paths from the root data structure to the non-ancestor subset of data structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing intuitive access to previous versions of files or directories, the method comprising:
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generating, by a computer processor, a snapshot version of a target data structure in a file system, the file system comprising multiple data structures logically arranged hierarchically, each data structure comprising a file or directory, the multiple data structures comprising; a root data structure; the target data structure; a non-ancestor subset of data structures which are descendants of the root data structure and which are not in a path between the root data structure and the target data structure; and an ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path between the root data structure and the target data structure and providing at least portions of access paths between the root data structure and the non-ancestor subset of data structures; and generating, by the computer processor, a mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures, the mini-snapshot version of the ancestor subset of data structures providing an access path from the root data structure to the snapshot version of the target data structure and not providing any portion of the access paths from the root data structure to the non-ancestor subset of data structures. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification