Method And System For Managing Data Storage And Access On A Client Device

• US 20140122542A1
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Barnes, Jordan Douglas, Feldman, Andrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,165,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product for managing data storage and access on a computing device. The computing device includes at least a first storage system and a second storage system. A unified file system interface is provided for facilitating interaction with the computing device, the unified file system interface configured as a file system capable of facilitating interaction with content of both the first storage system and the second storage system. Storage of content across the first storage system and the second storage system is managed in accordance with a rule set. File locations within the unified file system interface are independent of locations of corresponding content of the first storage system and the second storage system.

Claims

1. A method for managing data storage and access on a computing device, the computing device associated with at least a first storage system and a second storage system, the method comprising:

a) providing a unified file system interface for facilitating interaction with the computing device, the unified file system interface configured to facilitate interaction with content of both the first storage system and the second storage system; and

b) managing storage of content across the first storage system and the second storage system in accordance with a rule set;

wherein file paths within the unified file system interface are independent of locations of corresponding content of the first storage system and the second storage system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unified file system interface comprises alias files accessible via an alias file path structure, the method further comprising providing associations between each of the alias files and corresponding content of the first storage system or the second storage system.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the associations are provided based at least in part on contents of a lookup table stored in memory, the method further comprising updating said contents of the lookup table as content of the first storage system and the second storage system are updated.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the associations are constructed dynamically based on contents of stored metadata, the metadata associated with content of the first storage system and the second storage system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is associated with a priority level, and wherein managing storage of content comprises storing data preferentially on storage systems associated with a higher priority level.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein managing storage of content comprises one or more of:

managing free space on each storage system;

managing storage in accordance with one or more performance optimization criteria;

managing storage in accordance with one or more load balancing criteria;

managing storage based on file size; and

managing storage based on file type.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is selected from the group comprising:

virtual storage systems;

removable storage systems;

internal storage systems;

remote storage systems; and

cloud-based storage systems.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein interaction with the unified file system interface is performed via a first syntax, and interaction with at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is performed via a second syntax, different from the first syntax, the method further comprising translating between the first syntax and the second syntax.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing data synchronization operations via the unified file system interface.

10. An apparatus for facilitating data storage and access on a computing device, the computing device associated with at least a first storage system and a second storage system, the apparatus comprising:

a) a unified file system interface configured to facilitate interaction with the computing device, the unified file system interface configured to facilitate interaction with content of both the first storage system and the second storage system; and

b) an inter-storage system management module configured to manage storage of content across the first storage system and the second storage system in accordance with a rule set;

wherein file paths within the unified file system interface are independent of locations of corresponding content of the first storage system and the second storage system.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the unified file system interface comprises alias files accessible via an alias file path structure, the apparatus further configured to provide associations between each of the alias files and corresponding content of the first storage system or the second storage system.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the associations are provided based at least in part on contents of a lookup table stored in memory, the method further comprising updating said contents of the lookup table as content of the first storage system and the second storage system are updated.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the associations are constructed dynamically based on contents of stored metadata, the metadata associated with content of the first storage system and the second storage system.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is associated with a priority level, and wherein managing storage of content comprises storing data preferentially on storage systems associated with a higher priority level.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein managing storage of content comprises one or more of:

managing free space on each storage system;

managing storage in accordance with one or more performance optimization criteria;

managing storage in accordance with one or more load balancing criteria;

managing storage based on file size; and

managing storage based on file type.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is selected from the group comprising:

virtual storage systems;

removable storage systems;

internal storage systems;

remote storage systems; and

cloud-based storage systems.

17. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein interaction with the unified file system interface is performed via a first syntax, and interaction with at least one of the first storage system and the second storage system is performed via a second syntax, different from the first syntax, the method further comprising translating between the first syntax and the second syntax.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, the apparatus further configured to perform data synchronization operations via the unified file system interface.

19. A computer program product for managing data storage and access on a computing device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having code embedded therein which, when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a computer, is adapted to perform the following:

a) providing a unified file system interface for facilitating interaction with a computing device operatively associated with the computer, the computing device associated with at least a first storage system and a second storage system, the unified file system interface configured to facilitate interaction with content of both the first storage system and the second storage system; and

b) managing storage of content across the first storage system and the second storage system in accordance with a rule set;

wherein file paths within the unified file system interface are independent of locations of corresponding content of the first storage system and the second storage system.