Method and system for creating and maintaining version-specific properties in a file

• US 7,849,054 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Goldick, Jonathan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quader; Fazlul
• Application Number:
  US11/448,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/200
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and system creates and maintains a version-specific attribute or property that is stored as part of a file in a file system, contains specific version information relating to how or when the attribute was created and is automatically invalidated when a predetermined “update” event occurs. Third party applications generally create and access these versions-specific attributes to thereby eliminate the need for external logs or databases to store persistent state information.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of providing a file stored in a computer implemented system with version information relating to a replicator application that is independent from an application used to create the file, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the replicator application to create a version-specific property that is stored as part of the file, wherein the version-specific property comprises version information relating to the version of the replicator application used to create the version-specific property and wherein the replicator application creates redundant copies of files for back-up or performance purposes;

creating the version-specific property that is stored as part of the file;

maintaining the version-specific property to reflect relevant updates to the file by automatically invalidating the version information in response to a predetermined event, wherein the version-specific property comprises mask information providing information related to the predetermined events that invalidate the version information;

receiving a request from the replicator application to evaluate the version-specific property;

evaluating the version-specific property; and

providing the version information to the replicator application in response to the request to evaluate the version-specific property.

4. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the mask information relates to a policy defining the predetermined events that may invalidate the version-specific information.

5. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the version-specific property comprises security information to prevent unauthorized access to the version-specific property.

6. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 5, wherein the security information comprises a digital signature.

7. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is the modification of actual file data.

8. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is the modification of metadata associated with the file.

9. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is the modification of the version-specific property.

10. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the version-specific property is assigned to a specific class of version-specific properties.

11. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 10, wherein the version-specific property is invalidated when a modification affects the specific class of version-specific properties and another class of version-specific properties.

2. A computer storage medium having stored thereon a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises:

an actual file data section comprising actual file data for a file;

a header section;

a version-specific property section, wherein the version-specific property section is created by the replicator application which is independent from an application used to create the actual file data, wherein the version-specific property is stored as part of the file, and wherein the version-specific property comprises a version information section, a meta information section and a mask information section, the version information section providing information related to the version of the replicator application used to create the version-specific property, the mask information section providing information related to the predetermined events that invalidate the version-specific property, and wherein the version-specific property is invalidated in response to one of said predetermined events; and

wherein the predetermined events comprise one from the group consisting of a modification of metadata associated with the file and a modification of the actual file data.

12. The computer implemented computer storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the modification of actual file data comprises an access attempt to add new data.

13. The computer implemented computer storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the predetermined events comprise a deletion of the version-specific property.

14. The computer implemented computer storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the predetermined events comprise a truncation of the version-specific property.

15. The computer implemented computer storage medium as defined in claim 2, wherein the header section comprises one from the group consisting of a time when the file was created and a value for the size of the file.

3. A computer implemented method of providing a services layer with a virus-scan function for performing virus scanning and cleaning functions and for determining if virus scanning and cleaning functions will be performed on a file when the file is accessed by a processing application or module, the method comprising:

accessing the file;

performing virus scanning and cleaning functions on the file with the virus-scan function;

receiving a request from the services layer to create a version-specific property that is stored as part of the file, wherein the version-specific property comprises version information relating to the version of the virus-scan function, and wherein the version-specific property is invalidated in response to one or more predetermined events;

receiving a request from the processing application or module for accessing one or more files;

determining whether a version-specific property is associated with the requested file;

if a version-specific property is not associated with the requested file, performing virus scanning and cleaning functions on the requested file;

if a version-specific property is associated with the requested file, determining if the associated version-specific property is valid; and

if the associated version-specific property is not valid, performing virus scanning and cleaning functions on the requested file.

16. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 3, wherein the virus scanning and cleaning functions are not performed if a version-specific property is associated with the requested file and the version-specific property is valid.

17. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 3, wherein the predetermined events comprise the addition of data to the file.

18. The computer implemented method as defined in claim 3, wherein the accessing by the processing application or module comprises one from the group consisting of reading, executing, and updating the requested file.