System and method for providing programming-language-independent access to file system content

• US 7,415,480 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Premo, Nur, Borthakur, Dhrubajyoti
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US10/732,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20050131955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 713/194, 370/338, 711/172, 717/148, 718/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system and method for providing programming-language-independent access to file system content. In one embodiment, the system may include a storage device configured to store a plurality of files and a file system configured to manage access to the storage device and to store file system content. The file system may include a programming-language-independent interface whereby an application accesses the file system content.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a storage device configured to store a plurality of files; and

a host device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions configured to implement a file system, wherein the file system is configured to manage access to said storage device and to store file system content on said storage device, wherein said file system comprises a programming-language-independent interface through which an application is configured to access said file system content, wherein said programming-language-independent interface is further configured to receive a request to access said file system content from said application without dependence on a programming language in which said application is implemented;

wherein said programming-language independent interface is further configured to;

detect a virtual file identity corresponding to a given file, wherein said virtual file identity includes a given file identity that specifies said given file within said file system and further includes additional information that specifies particular file system content to be accessed with respect to said given file identity;

select at least a portion of said particular file system content dependent on said virtual file identity; and

return said selected file system content.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said file system content comprises file data stored in one or more of said plurality of files.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said file system content comprises metadata stored in a named stream corresponding to a given file.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said metadata is stored in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by embedding a command token within said given file identity corresponding to said given file.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by prepending a virtual directory to said given file identity corresponding to said given file.

7. A method, comprising:

a file system storing file system content on a storage device configured to store a plurality of files, wherein said file system is implemented by a host device; and

an application accessing said file system content via a programming-language-independent interface implemented by said file system without dependence on a programming language in which said application is implemented;

said programming-language independent interface detecting a virtual file identity corresponding to a given file, wherein said virtual file identity includes a given file identity that specifies said given file within said file system and further includes additional information that specifies particular file system content to be accessed with respect to said given file identity;

said programming-language-independent interface selecting at least a portion of said particular file system content dependent on said virtual file identity; and

said programming-language-independent interface returning said selected file system content.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said file system content comprises file data stored in one or more files.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said file system content comprises metadata stored in a named stream corresponding to a given file.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said metadata is stored in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by embedding a command token within said given file identity corresponding to said given file.

12. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by prepending a virtual directory to said given file identity corresponding to said given file.

13. A computer-accessible storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to implement a file system configured to:

store file system content on a storage device configured to store a plurality of files; and

present a programming-language-independent interface to an application, wherein said application accesses said file system content via said programming-language-independent interface without dependence on a programming language in which said application is implemented;

wherein said programming-language independent interface is further configured to;

detect a virtual file identity corresponding to a given file, wherein said virtual file identity includes a given file identity that specifies said given file within said file system and further includes additional information that specifies particular file system content to be accessed with respect to said given file identity;

select at least a portion of said particular file system content dependent on said virtual file identity; and

return said selected file system content.

14. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said file system content comprises file data stored in one or more files.

15. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said file system content comprises metadata stored in a named stream corresponding to a given file.

16. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said metadata is stored in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

17. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by embedding a command token within said given file identity corresponding to said given file.

18. The computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said virtual file identity is formed by prepending a virtual directory to said given file identity corresponding to said given file.