Method, apparatus and computer program product for file system referrals
First Claim
1. A method for making a number of file systems on a computer readable storage media accessible, the method comprising:
- creating a referring file system attribute of a data element, responsive to a first one of the file systems having a first referral object referring to a second one of the file systems, the referring file system attribute describing a first referring file system identification for the first one of the file systems;
creating a path attribute of the data element, responsive to the first one of the file systems having the first referral object, the path attribute describing a first path information for the first referral object, wherein the first one of the file systems has a root and the first path information is for a path from the first one of the file systems root to the first referral object;
creating a referred file system attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the first referred file system attribute describing a first referred file system identification for the second one of the file systems; and
creating a parent attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the parent attribute describing a first parent flag for the second one of the file systems.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one form, in a method for making file systems accessible, a referring file system attribute is created, responsive to a first file system having a referral object referring to a second file system. The referring file system attribute describes referring file system identification for the first file system. A path attribute is created, responsive to the first file system having the referral object, describing a path from a root of the first file system to the referral object. A referred file system attribute is created, responsive to the first file system having the referral object, describing a referred file system identification for the second file system. A parent attribute is created, responsive to the first file system having the referral object, describing a parent flag for the second file system.
25 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for making a number of file systems on a computer readable storage media accessible, the method comprising:
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creating a referring file system attribute of a data element, responsive to a first one of the file systems having a first referral object referring to a second one of the file systems, the referring file system attribute describing a first referring file system identification for the first one of the file systems;
creating a path attribute of the data element, responsive to the first one of the file systems having the first referral object, the path attribute describing a first path information for the first referral object, wherein the first one of the file systems has a root and the first path information is for a path from the first one of the file systems root to the first referral object;
creating a referred file system attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the first referred file system attribute describing a first referred file system identification for the second one of the file systems; and
creating a parent attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the parent attribute describing a first parent flag for the second one of the file systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
receiving a request to locate a parent directory of a second referral object, the second referral object being located in a second referred file system;
searching the database for an entry matching the second referred file system; and
selecting the entry matching the second referred file system, wherein the entry has the parent attribute set to a true status.
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6. The method of claim 4, comprising browsing the global name space at a file system level by accessing the database.
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7. The method of claim 1, comprising generating a second data element in response to creation of a second referral object, the second data element describing a second referring file system identifier, a second path information, a second referred file system identifier and a second principal parent flag indicating whether the second referring file system is the principal parent of the second referred file system.
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8. The method of claim 7, comprising deleting the second data element in response to deletion of the second referral object.
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9. The method of claim 7, wherein the creation of the second referral object comprises:
determining whether the second referral object is a first referral to the referred file system; and
setting the first parent flag for the new referral object to a true status responsive to determining that the second referral object is the first referral.
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10. The method of claim 9, comprising setting the first parent flag for the second referral object to a false status responsive to determining that the second referral object is not the first referral.
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11. A computer program product for use in making a number of file systems accessible, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform:
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creating a referring file system attribute of a data element, responsive to a first one of the file systems having a first referral object referring to a second one of the file systems, the referring file system attribute describing a first referring file system identification for the first one of the file systems;
creating a path attribute of the data element, responsive to the first one of the file systems having the first referral object, the path attribute describing a first path information for the first referral object, wherein the first one of the file systems has a root and the first path information is for a path from the first one of the file systems root to the first referral object;
creating a referred file system attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the first referred file system attribute describing a first referred file system identification for the second one of the file systems; and
creating a parent attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the parent attribute describing a first parent flag for the second one of the file systems. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
configuring data elements for respective referral objects within the global name space; and
storing the data elements in a database.
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14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer readable storage media causes the control circuitry to perform:
storing a dummy data element in the database, the dummy data element describing a dummy referral to a root file system of the global name space.
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15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage media causes the control circuitry to perform:
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receiving a request to locate a parent directory of a second referral object, the second referral object being located in a second referred file system;
searching the database for an entry matching the second referred file system; and
selecting the entry matching the second referred file system, wherein the entry has the parent attribute set to a true status.
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16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable storage media causes the control circuitry to perform:
- browsing the global name space at a file system level by accessing the database.
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17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable storage media causes the control circuitry to perform:
generating a second data element in response to creation of a second referral object, the second data clement describing a second referring file system identifier, a second path information, a second referred file system identifier and a second principal parent flag indicating whether the second referring file system is the principal parent of the second referred file system.
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18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable storage media causes the control circuitry to perform:
- deleting the second data element in response to deletion of the second referral object.
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19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the creation of the second referral object comprises:
determining whether the second referral object is a first referral to the referred file system; and
setting the first parent flag for the new referral object to a true status responsive to determining that the second referral object is the first referral.
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20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the computer readable storage media including causes the control circuitry to perform:
setting the first parent flag for the second referral object to a false status responsive to determining that the second referral object is not the first referral.
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor;
a file system coupled to a number of file systems;
a memory storing instructions operable with the processor for accessing the number of file systems, the instructions being executed for;
creating a referring file system attribute of a data element, responsive to a first one of the file systems having a first referral object referring to a second one of the file systems, the referring file system attribute describing a first referring file system identification for the first one of the file systems;
creating a path attribute of the data element, responsive to the first one of the file systems having the first referral object, the path attribute describing a first path information for the first referral object, wherein the first one of the file systems has a root and the first path information is for a path from the first one of the file systems root to the first referral object;
creating a referred file system attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the first referred file system attribute describing a first referred file system identification for the second one of the file systems; and
creating a parent attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the parent attribute describing a first parent flag for the second one of the file systems. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
receiving a request to locate a parent directory of a second referral object, the second referral object being located in a second referred file system;
searching the database for an entry matching the second referred file system; and
selecting the entry matching the second referred file system, wherein the entry has the parent attribute set to a true status.
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26. The apparatus of claim 24, the instructions being executed for browsing the global name space at a file system level by accessing the database.
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27. The apparatus of claim 21, the instructions being executed for generating a second data element in response to creation of a second referral object, the second data element describing a second referring file system identifier, a second path information, a second referred file system identifier and a second principal parent flag indicating whether the second referring file system is the principal parent of the second referred file system.
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28. The apparatus of claim 27, the instructions being executed for deleting the second data element in response to deletion of the second referral object.
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29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the creation of the second referral object comprises:
determining whether the second referral object is a first referral to the referred file system; and
setting the first parent flag for the new referral object to a true status responsive to determining that the second referral object is the first referral.
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30. The apparatus of claim 29, the instructions being executed for setting the first parent flag for the second referral object to a false status responsive to determining that the second referral object is not the first referral.
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31. An apparatus for making a number of file systems accessible, the apparatus comprising:
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means for creating a referring file system attribute of a data element, responsive to a first one of the file systems having a first referral object referring to a second one of the file systems, the referring file system attribute describing a first referring file system identification for the first one of the file systems;
means for creating a path attribute of the data element, responsive to the first one of the file systems having the first referral object, the path attribute describing a first path information for the first referral object, wherein the first one of the file systems has a root and the first path information is for a path from the first one of the file systems root to the first referral object;
means for creating a referred file system attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the first referred file system attribute describing a first referred file system identification for the second one of the file systems; and
means for creating a parent attribute of the data element, responsive to the first file system having the first referral object, the parent attribute describing a first parent flag for the second one of the file systems. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
means for configuring data elements for respective referral objects within the global name space; and
means for configuring the data elements in a database.
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34. The apparatus of claim 33, comprising:
- means for storing a dummy data element in the database, the dummy data element describing a dummy referral to a root file system of the global name space.
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35. The apparatus of claim 34, comprising:
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means for receiving a request to locate a parent directory of a second referral object, the second referral object being located in a second referred file system;
means for searching the database for an entry matching the second referred file system; and
means for selecting the entry matching the second referred file system, wherein the entry has the parent attribute set to a true status.
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36. The apparatus of claim 34, comprising:
- means for browsing the global name space at a file system level by accessing the database.
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37. The apparatus of claim 31, comprising:
means for generating a second data element in response to creation of a second referral object, the second data element describing a second referring file system identifier, a second path information, a second referred file system identifier and a second principal parent flag indicating whether the second referring file system is the principal parent of the second referred file system.
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38. The apparatus of claim 37, comprising:
means for deleting the second data element in response to deletion of the second referral object.
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39. The apparatus of claim 37, comprising:
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means for determining whether the second referral object is a first referral to the referred file system; and
means for setting the first parent flag for the new referral object to a true status responsive to determining that the second referral object is the first referral.
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40. The apparatus of claim 39, comprising:
- means for setting the first parent flag for the second referral object to a false status responsive to determining that the second referral object is not the first referral.
Specification