File stashing for storage media

• US 8,370,294 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lyakhovitskiy, Grigory B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jami, Hares
• Application Number:
  US12/436,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/640, 707/650, 707/652, 707/655, 707/661, 707/999.204, 711/161, 711/162
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

An embodiment of a method includes determining a file size of each of multiple files to be included in a file system image. For each file having a file size less than a lower file size threshold of the storage device currently storing the file, the file is stashed in an alternate storage device having a throughput greater than a throughput of the current storage device. In an example embodiment, files that have sizes within a size range greater than the lower file size threshold are randomly selected for stashing in an alternate storage device. A system includes a file system image generator configured to selectively stash files based on file sizes and a lower file size threshold.

Claims

1. A method for selectively stashing files, comprising:

determining a first data transfer rate for a source device;

determining a second data transfer rate for an intermediate storage device;

defining a file size threshold for selectively stashing a file from the source device to the intermediate storage device for transmission of the file from the intermediate storage device to a destination device, based upon at least one of the first data transfer rate or the second data transfer rate;

responsive to a size of the file being below the file size threshold, stashing the file within the intermediate storage device;

responsive to the size of the file being above the file size threshold, sending, without stashing the file within the intermediate storage device, the file to the destination device; and

updating the file size threshold based upon at least one of;

a first measured throughput associated with sending the file to the destination device;

or

a second measured throughput associated with stashing the file within the intermediate storage device, at least some of the method implemented at least in part via a processing unit.

2. The method of claim 1, the stashing the file comprising:

stashing the file in at least one of a temporary or permanent manner.

3. The method of claim 1, the destination device comprising an optical storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, the intermediate storage device comprising a hard drive.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising randomly stashing a second file, having a second file size greater than the file size threshold, from the source device to the intermediate storage device based upon the second file size falling within a test size region greater than the file size threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, the file size threshold based at least in part on at least one of a safety margin, tolerance value, throughput value, or a desired data transfer rate.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising creating a file size threshold table for at least one of different devices or different users.

8. The method of claim 5, comprising:

updating the file size threshold based upon a third measured throughput associated with randomly stashing the second file within the intermediate storage device.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

stashing the file from the intermediate storage device to a second intermediate storage device for transmission of the file from the second intermediate storage device to the destination device.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

assembling a file system image comprising the file; and

communicating the file system image to the destination device.

11. A system for selectively stashing files, comprising:

a component configured to;

determine a first data transfer rate for a source device; and

determine a second data transfer rate for an intermediate storage device; and

a file system image generator configured to;

define a file size threshold for selectively stashing a file from the source device to the intermediate storage device for transmission of the file from the intermediate storage device to a destination device, based upon at least one of the first data transfer rate or the second data transfer rate;

responsive to a size of the file being below the file size threshold, stash the file within the intermediate storage device;

responsive to the size of the file being above the file size threshold, send, without stashing the file within the intermediate storage device, the file to the destination device; and

update the file size threshold based upon at least one of;

a first measured throughput associated with sending the file to the destination device;

or

a second measured throughput associated with stashing the file within the intermediate storage device, at least some of at least one of the component or the file system image generator implemented at least in part via a processing unit.

12. The system of claim 11, the destination device comprising an optical storage device.

13. The system of claim 11, the file system image generator configured to randomly stash a second file, having a second file size greater than the file size threshold, from the source device to the intermediate storage device based upon the second file size falling within a test size region greater than the file size threshold.

14. The system of claim 11, the file size threshold based at least in part on at least one of a safety margin, tolerance value, throughput value, or a desired data transfer rate.

15. The system of claim 11, the intermediate storage device comprising a hard drive.

16. The system of claim 13, the file system image generator configured to update the file size threshold based upon a third measured throughput associated with randomly stashing the second file within the intermediate storage device.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions, which when executed at least in part via a processing unit on a computer perform acts, comprising:

determining a first data transfer rate for a source device;

determining a second data transfer rate for an intermediate storage device;

defining a file size threshold for selectively stashing a file from the source device to the intermediate storage device for transmission of the file from the intermediate storage device to a destination device, based upon at least one of the first data transfer rate or the second data transfer rate;

responsive to a size of the file being below the file size threshold, stashing the file within the intermediate storage device;

responsive to the size of the file being above the file size threshold, sending, without stashing the file within the intermediate storage device, the file to the destination device; and

updating the file size threshold based upon at least one of;

a first measured throughput associated with sending the file to the destination device;

or

a second measured throughput associated with stashing the file within the intermediate storage device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the destination device comprising an optical storage device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the file size threshold based at least in part on at least one of a safety margin, tolerance value, throughput value, or a desired data transfer rate.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, the intermediate storage device comprising a hard drive.