Use of external information about a file to determine virtualization

• US 8,639,734 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Randall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pulliam, Christyann
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLAND, SHERYL L
• Application Number:
  US12/059,973
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 707/829, 707/831, 711/165, 718/1
• US Class Current: 707/829
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems

Abstract

An apparatus or method in which information external to a file is used to select a directory within a file system where the file is to be stored. In one embodiment of the method a first request is received to create a first file in a file system, wherein the first request comprises a first file system path. First information is also received that describes data contained in a first data object. A first redirect file system path component is selected from a plurality of redirect file system path components in response to receiving the first information. The first file system path is then modified by adding the first redirect file system path component to the first file system path.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first request to create a first file, which stores a first data object, in a file system, wherein the first request comprises a first file system path;

receiving first information that describes the first data object, wherein the first information does not identify a data type of the data in the first data object;

accessing a list using the first information, wherein the list comprises a plurality of redirect file system path components, and wherein an entry in the list associates one or more capture criteria with a first redirect file system path component of the plurality of redirect file system path components;

selecting the first redirect file system path component, in response to the first information satisfying the one or more capture criteria associated with the first redirect file system path component by the list;

modifying the first file system path by adding the first redirect file system path component to the first file system path, wherein the modifying is performed by a computer system configured to implement a file system filter driver;

detecting that a first layer has been deactivated, wherein the first layer is associated with the entry in the list;

receiving a second request to create a second file, which stores a second data object, in the file system, wherein the second request comprises a second file system path;

receiving second information that describes the second data object, wherein the second information satisfies the one or more capture criteria associated with the first redirect file system path; and

inhibiting modification of the second file system path, in response to the detecting that the first layer has been deactivated.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a third request to create a third file, which stores a third data object, in the file system, wherein the third request comprises a third file system path;

receiving third information that describes the third data object;

selecting a third redirect file system path component that is mapped to the third information in the list;

modifying the third file system path by adding the third redirect file system path component to the third file system path.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending the first request, including the modified first file system path, to a file system manager for processing;

sending the third request, including the modified third file system path, to the file system manager for processing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information is defined as documents that contain confidential information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information is defined as pictures with a particular content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the first layer has been activated; and

adding the entry to the list in response to detecting that the first layer has been activated.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising instructions, wherein a computer system implements a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to create a first file, which stores a first data object, in a file system, wherein the first request comprises a first file system path;

receiving first information that describes the first data object, wherein the first information does not identify data type of the data in the first data object;

accessing a list using the first information, wherein the list comprises a plurality of redirect file system path components, and wherein an entry in the list associates one or more capture criteria with a first redirect file system path component of the plurality of redirect file system path components;

selecting the first redirect file system path component in response to the first information satisfying the one or more capture criteria associated with the first redirect file system path component by the list that is mapped to the first information in the list;

modifying the first file system path by adding the first redirect file system path component to the first file system path;

detecting that a first layer has been deactivated, wherein the first layer is associated with the entry in the list;

receiving a second request to create a second file, which stores a second data object, in the file system, wherein the second request comprises a second file system path;

receiving second information that describes the second data object, wherein the second information satisfies the one or more capture criteria associated with the first redirect file system path; and

inhibiting modification of the second file system path, in response to the detecting that the first layer has been deactivated.

8. The non-transitory CRM of claim 7 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a third request to create a third file, which stores a third data object, in the file system, wherein the third request comprises a third file system path;

receiving third information that describes the third data object;

selecting a third redirect file system path component that is mapped to the third information in the list;

modifying the third file system path by adding the third redirect file system path component to the third file system path.

9. The non-transitory CRM of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

sending the first request, including the modified first file system path, to a file system manager for processing;

sending the third request, including the modified third file system path, to the file system manager for processing.

10. The non-transitory CRM of claim 7 wherein the first information is defined as documents that contain confidential information.

11. The non-transitory CRM of claim 7 wherein the first information is defined as pictures with a particular content.