Method and apparatus for exchanging sub-hierarchical structures within a hierarchical file system
First Claim
1. A method for replacing a first sub-hierarchy of at least two sub-hierarchies of a hierarchical file system (HFS) with a second sub-hierarchy of the at least two sub-hierarchies, the HFS having a single parentless root directory and being accessible by at least one processor, wherein the HFS provides a mapping between a disk sector and user data, further wherein the HFS is a New Technology File System (NTFS) implementation, the HFS is provided with file records storing directory attribute data corresponding with the first and second sub-hierarchies, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing for the first sub-hierarchy to include a first root directory located in a first location of the HFS associated with the single parentless root directory of the HFS through at least one internal pointer, wherein the first sub-hierarchy includes a first plurality of files configured to branch from the first root directory and at least one special system file which is exclusive to the parentless root directory;
providing for the second sub-hierarchy to include a second root directory located in a second location of the HFS, wherein the second sub-hierarchy includes a second plurality of files configured to branch from the second root directory and the second root directory is provided with at least one placeholder file which corresponds to each of special system files;
providing the first and second root directories with at least one file entry, each of which are provided with corresponding owning directories, and respective owning directories are provided with corresponding back-pointers; and
replacing the first sub-hierarchy with the second sub-hierarchy comprising the step of;
associating the second root directory and the single parentless root directory of the HFS through the at least one internal pointer, wherein the associating step further comprises the steps of;
configuring the first plurality of files to branch from the first root directory once the first root directory is accessed through the second location;
exchanging owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the first root directory with owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the second root directory;
exchanging owning directory back-pointers of the first root directory with corresponding owning directory back-pointers of the second root directory;
exchanging at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one special system file with at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one placeholder file; and
exchanging directory attribute data of file record associated with the first root directory with directory attribute data associated with the second root directory.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is provided for exchanging a first sub-hierarchy of at least two sub-hierarchies of a hierarchical file system (HFS) with a second sub-hierarchy of the at least two sub-hierarchies, the HFS being accessible by at least one processor and having a root directory that is a parentless directory. The method includes the steps of providing for the first sub-hierarchy to include a first root directory stored in a first location occupied by the root directory of the HFS and a first plurality of files configured to branch therefrom; providing for the second sub-hierarchy to include a second root directory stored in a second location of the HFS that is not occupied by the root directory of the HFS and a second plurality of files configured to branch therefrom; and providing for relocation of the second root directory to the first location. In preferred embodiments the method further includes the steps of providing for configuration of the second plurality of files to branch from the second root directory while the second root directory is located in the first location; providing for relocation of the first root directory to the second location; and providing for configuration of the first plurality of files to branch from the first root directory while the first root directory is located in the second location.
49 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for replacing a first sub-hierarchy of at least two sub-hierarchies of a hierarchical file system (HFS) with a second sub-hierarchy of the at least two sub-hierarchies, the HFS having a single parentless root directory and being accessible by at least one processor, wherein the HFS provides a mapping between a disk sector and user data, further wherein the HFS is a New Technology File System (NTFS) implementation, the HFS is provided with file records storing directory attribute data corresponding with the first and second sub-hierarchies, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing for the first sub-hierarchy to include a first root directory located in a first location of the HFS associated with the single parentless root directory of the HFS through at least one internal pointer, wherein the first sub-hierarchy includes a first plurality of files configured to branch from the first root directory and at least one special system file which is exclusive to the parentless root directory; providing for the second sub-hierarchy to include a second root directory located in a second location of the HFS, wherein the second sub-hierarchy includes a second plurality of files configured to branch from the second root directory and the second root directory is provided with at least one placeholder file which corresponds to each of special system files; providing the first and second root directories with at least one file entry, each of which are provided with corresponding owning directories, and respective owning directories are provided with corresponding back-pointers; and replacing the first sub-hierarchy with the second sub-hierarchy comprising the step of; associating the second root directory and the single parentless root directory of the HFS through the at least one internal pointer, wherein the associating step further comprises the steps of; configuring the first plurality of files to branch from the first root directory once the first root directory is accessed through the second location; exchanging owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the first root directory with owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the second root directory; exchanging owning directory back-pointers of the first root directory with corresponding owning directory back-pointers of the second root directory; exchanging at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one special system file with at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one placeholder file; and exchanging directory attribute data of file record associated with the first root directory with directory attribute data associated with the second root directory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer system comprising:
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at least one processor; a hierarchical file system (HFS) stored on a storage medium accessible by the at least one processor and including at least a first and second sub-hierarchies and a single parentless root directory, wherein the HFS provides a mapping between a disk sector and user data, further wherein the HFS is a New Technology File System (NTFS) and the HFS is provided with file records storing directory attribute data corresponding with the first and second sub-hierarchies, and wherein; the first sub-hierarchy includes a first root directory located in a first location of the HFS associated with the single parentless root directory of the HFS through at least one internal pointer, wherein the first sub-hierarchy includes a first plurality of files configured to branch from the first root directory and at least one special system file which is exclusive to the parentless root directory; and the second sub-hierarchy includes a second root directory located in a second location of the HFS, wherein the second sub-hierarchy includes a second plurality of files configured to branch from the second root directory and at least one placeholder file which corresponds to each of special system files, further wherein the first and second root directories are each provided with at least one file entry, respective file entries of the first and second root directories are provided with corresponding owning directories, and the respective owning directories are provided with corresponding back-pointers; and a set of programmable instructions executable on the at least one processor for replacing the first sub-hierarchy with the second sub-hierarchy comprising the step of; associating the second root directory and the single parentless root directory of the HFS through the at least one internal pointer, wherein the associating step further comprises the steps of; configuring the first plurality of files to branch from the first root directory once the first root directory is accessed through the second location; exchanging owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the first root directory with owning directories corresponding to the file entries of the second root directory; exchanging owning directory back-pointers of the first root directory with corresponding owning directory back-pointers of the second root directory; exchanging at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one special system file with at least one directory pointer corresponding to the at least one placeholder file; and exchanging directory attribute data of file record associated with the first root directory with directory attribute data associated with the second root directory. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification