DISCOVERY OF CALLING APPLICATION FOR CONTROL OF FILE HYDRATION BEHAVIOR

• US 20180046635A1
• Filed: 12/02/2016
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Nichols, Jack Allen
• Granted Patent: US 10,592,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2125 Just-in-time application of countermeasures, e.g., on-the-fly decryption, just-in-time obfuscation or de-obfuscation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

Variety of approaches to control file hydration behavior are described. A filter driver initiates operations to control file hydration behavior upon receiving a process identifier (PID) registration from a synchronization engine. Upon receiving a file operation request associated with a placeholder file, a PID and a process name associated with the file operation is identified. A hydration behavior is detected based on the PID or the process name. A decision associated with the file operation request is rendered based on the hydration behavior.

Claims

1. A computing device to control file hydration behavior, the computing device comprising:

a communication module configured to facilitate exchange of information associated with a cloud based file and other data with computing devices;

a memory configured to store instructions associated with a filter driver;

a processor coupled to the memory and the communication module, the processor executing the filter driver in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the filter driver includes;

a listener configured to;

receive, through the communication module, a process identifier (PID) registration from a synchronization engine;

receive, through the communication module, a file operation request associated with a placeholder file;

identify a PID and a process name associated with the file operation request;

detect a hydration behavior based on one or more of the PID and the process name; and

render a decision associated with the file operation request based on the hydration behavior.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the file operation request includes a hydration operation as a precursor.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the file operation request includes one or more of a read operation and a write operation.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the placeholder file includes a cloud based file.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the listener is further configured to:

process a property of the placeholder file; and

identify a hydration operation to fulfill the file operation request based on the property of the placeholder file.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the hydration operation replaces the placeholder file with file system data for fulfilling the file operation request,

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the listener is further configured to:

retrieve the PID from an operating system executing the file operation request; and

identify the process name from the PID.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the listener is further configured to:

identity the synchronization engine as an intermediary for the file operation, request by matching the PID to the PID registration from the synchronization engine.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the listener is further configured to:

analyze the process name to identify an application that initiates the file operation request.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the listener is further configured to:

match an actor associated with one or more of the PID and the process name to the hydration behavior, wherein the hydration behavior allows a hydration operation associated with the file operation request; and

read file system data associated with the placeholder file identified by the file operation request.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the listener is further configured to:

replace the placeholder file with the file system data; and

provide the file system data in response to the file operation request.

12. A method executed on a computing device to control file hydration behavior, the method comprising:

receiving a process identifier (PID) registration from a synchronization engine;

receiving a file operation request associated with a placeholder file, wherein the file operation request includes a hydration operation to replace the placeholder file with a file system data;

identifying a PID and a process name associated with the file operation request;

detecting a hydration behavior based on one or more of the PID and the process name; and

rendering a decision associated with the file operation request based on the hydration behavior.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting an application based on one or more of the PID and the process name, wherein the application initiates the tile operation request; and

matching the application to the hydration behavior.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising;

detecting the hydration behavior as granting an early hydration; and

executing the hydration operation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

blocking the application until detecting a completion of the hydration operation.

14-1. The method of claim 12, further comprising;

in response to detecting the hydration behavior as denying the file operation request, maintaining the placeholder file.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising;

intercepting the file operation request; and

transmitting a notification to the synchronization engine to proceed with the file operation request based on the decision, wherein the decision directs an execution of the hydration operation.

18. A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon to control file hydration behavior, the instructions comprising;

receiving a process identifier (PID) registration from a synchronization engine;

receiving a file operation request associated with a placeholder file, wherein the file operation request includes a hydration operation to replace the placeholder file with a file system data;

identifying a PID and a process name associated with the file operation request;

detecting a hydration behavior based on one or more of the PID and the process name; and

rendering a decision associated with the file operation request based on the hydration behavior.

19. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

matching an actor associated with one or more of the PID and the process name to the hydration behavior, wherein the hydration behavior allows a hydration operation associated with the file operation request;

reading file system data associated with the placeholder file identified by the file operation request;

replacing the placeholder file with the file system data; and

providing the file system data in response to the file operation request.

20. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

detecting an application based on one or more of the PID and the process name,

wherein the application initiates the file operation request;

matching the application to the hydration behavior;

detecting the hydration behavior as granting an early hydration;

executing the hydration operation; and

blocking the application until detecting a completion of the hydration operation.