Mechanism for implementing a sparse file system for an operating system partition
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
- creating, within a global operating system environment provided by an operating system, a first non-global partition which serves to isolate processes running within that partition from other non-global partitions within the global operating system environment; and
establishing a first file system for the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system cannot be accessed by processes running in any non-global partition other than the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system comprises at least one virtual directory, which has associated therewith a reference to another particular file system directory, and wherein the virtual directory comprises no actual files or directories.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mechanism is disclosed for implementing a sparse file system for an operating system partition. In one implementation, a non-global partition is created within a global operating system environment. A file system is then established for the non-global partition. This file system may comprise one or more virtual directories, which reference other directories. Referencing other directories in this manner makes it is possible to avoid having to copy all of the files used by processes running in the non-global partition into the file system. As a result, storage and other system resources can be saved.
72 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
-
creating, within a global operating system environment provided by an operating system, a first non-global partition which serves to isolate processes running within that partition from other non-global partitions within the global operating system environment; and establishing a first file system for the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system cannot be accessed by processes running in any non-global partition other than the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system comprises at least one virtual directory, which has associated therewith a reference to another particular file system directory, and wherein the virtual directory comprises no actual files or directories. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a mechanism for creating, within a global operating system environment provided by an operating system, a first non-global partition which serves to isolate processes running within that partition from other non-global partitions within the global operating system environment; and a mechanism for establishing a first file system for the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system cannot be accessed by processes running in any non-global partition other than the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system comprises at least one virtual directory, which has associated therewith a reference to another particular file system directory, and wherein the virtual directory comprises no actual files or directories. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising:
-
instructions for causing one or more processors to create, within a global operating system environment provided by an operating system, a first non-global partition which serves to isolate processes running within that partition from other non-global partitions within the global operating system environment; and instructions for causing one or more processors to establish a first file system for the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system cannot be accessed by processes running in any non-global partition other than the first non-global partition, wherein the first file system comprises at least one virtual directory, which has associated therewith a reference to another particular file system directory, and wherein the virtual directory comprises no actual files or directories. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
Specification