Systems and methods for a snapshot of data
First Claim
1. A data storage system accessible by a processor comprising:
- at least one storage device;
at least one computer processor;
a hierarchical data storage structure stored in at least one storage device and accessible by the at least one computer processor, the hierarchical data storage structure comprising metadata in a tree structure, each metadata associated with a file or directory;
a snapshot identifier associated with a snapshot, of the snapshot comprising members as of a past time, the members comprising a file or directory and descendants of the file or directory, the snapshot identifier stored in at least in a metadata associated with a file or directory;
a snapshot tracking data structure comprising the snapshot identifier and configured to store references to metadata associated with snapshot versions of modified members, the modified members comprising members which have been modified or deleted after the past time; and
at least one executable software module executed by the at least one computer processor and configured to add a reference to the snapshot tracking data structure, the reference referring to a metadata associated with a snapshot version of a deleted member, the deleted member comprising a member which has been deleted after the past time.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In one embodiment, previous versions of a file or directory are stored only in response to a request to modify the file or directory. The system creates and updates a snapshot tracking data structure which provides information regarding each file or directory governed by the snapshot that was modified or deleted after the snapshot was taken. The snapshot tracking data structure may be used by the system to perform functions related to the snapshot, including deleting the snapshot.
304 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A data storage system accessible by a processor comprising:
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at least one storage device; at least one computer processor; a hierarchical data storage structure stored in at least one storage device and accessible by the at least one computer processor, the hierarchical data storage structure comprising metadata in a tree structure, each metadata associated with a file or directory; a snapshot identifier associated with a snapshot, of the snapshot comprising members as of a past time, the members comprising a file or directory and descendants of the file or directory, the snapshot identifier stored in at least in a metadata associated with a file or directory; a snapshot tracking data structure comprising the snapshot identifier and configured to store references to metadata associated with snapshot versions of modified members, the modified members comprising members which have been modified or deleted after the past time; and at least one executable software module executed by the at least one computer processor and configured to add a reference to the snapshot tracking data structure, the reference referring to a metadata associated with a snapshot version of a deleted member, the deleted member comprising a member which has been deleted after the past time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for managing snapshots in a hierarchical storage system comprising:
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obtaining, by a computer processor, a snapshot identifier associated with a snapshot, the snapshot comprising members as of a past time, the members comprising a file or directory and descendants of the file or directory; storing by the computer processor, the snapshot identifier at least in a metadata associated with the file or directory; creating, by the computer processor, a snapshot tracking data structure comprising the snapshot identifier and configured to store references to metadata associated with snapshot versions of modified members, the modified members comprising members which have been modified or deleted after the past time; and adding a reference to the snapshot tracking data structure if a member is deleted after the past time, the reference referring to a metadata associated with a snapshot version of the deleted member. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification