Systems and methods for handling data

• US 9,002,777 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Muddu, Sudhakar, Tryfonas, Christos, Maunder, Anurag
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMAN, MOHAMMAD N
• Application Number:
  US12/023,931
• Time in Patent Office: 2,623 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/709
• US Class Current: 707/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/119 Details of migration of file systems migration mechanisms in storage systems G06F3/0647
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method for handling files to timely provide reports concerning the files is disclosed. The method may include crawling (or enumerating) the files, to figure out how many files/data are to be processed and/or how much processing work is to be performed. The method may also include processing the files in batches. Identification information (e.g., filenames, file paths, and/or object identifiers) pertaining to the files may be sent to one or more queues for batch processing of the files. The method may further include generating a report after processing of a batch among the batches is completed. The report may be generated before subsequent processing of a subsequent batch is completed.

Claims

1. A method for handling a plurality of files, the method comprising:

receiving a service request comprising a filter to exclude a portion of the plurality of files from processing;

enumerating at least a portion of the files not excluded by the filter using at least one crawler of a set of crawlers, the set of crawlers including a first crawler and a second crawler, wherein enumerating includes using the first crawler or the second crawler to determine a number of files in the portion of the files not excluded by the filter and to determine an amount of processing work to process the number of files in the portion of the files not excluded by the filter;

identifying a first set of files of the portion of the files not excluded by the filter;

excluding the first set of files from a second set of files, the second set of files to be processed, the second set of files including a first batch of the files and a second batch of the files;

submitting a first set of file identifiers associated with the first batch to a first queue;

spawning a first set of service providers in a first set of nodes according to first workload associated with the first queue;

processing, using the first set of service providers, the first batch of the portion of the files not excluded by the filter;

submitting a second set of file identifiers associated with the second batch to at least one of the first queue and a second queue;

spawning a second set of service providers in a second set of nodes according to second workload associated with the at least one of the first queue and the second queue; and

processing, using the second set of service providers, the second batch of the portion of the files not excluded by the filter.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a first report when the processing the first batch of files is completed; and

providing a second report when the processing the second batch of files is completed.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

saving a state pertaining to the handling the plurality of files when all of the at least the portion of the files have been processed, the state includes at least information pertaining to a restart path for processing the at least the portion of the files.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

grouping, according to at least a time attribute, the plurality of files into a plurality of time interval file groups, the plurality of time interval file groups including at least a first time interval file group associated with a first time interval and a second time interval file group associated with a second time interval.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the time attribute represent at least one of a creation time, a modification time, an access time, and a retention time.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first time interval and the second time interval have different lengths.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

using the first crawler to enumerate at least the first time interval file group; and

using the second crawler to enumerate at least the second time interval me group.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of file groups further includes a third time interval file group associated with a third time interval, the method further comprising skipping the third time interval file group without enumerating the third time interval file group.

9. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

using at least a first node of the first set of nodes to process a first set of files, the first set of files belonging to both the first batch of the files and the first time interval file group; and

using at least a second node of the first set of nodes to process a second set of files, the second set of files belonging to both the first batch of the files and the second time interval file group.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of file groups further includes a third time interval file group associated with a third time interval, the method further comprising skipping the third time interval file group without processing the third time interval file group.

11. The method of claim 4 further comprising mapping the plurality of time interval file groups and the plurality of files into a tree structure.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing one or more links among the at least the portion of the files to form a tree structure for the at least the portion of the files.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising performing the enumerating on the tree structure.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

mapping the tree structure into a list structure; and

performing the enumerating on the list structure.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

segmenting the tree structure into a plurality of directories, the plurality of directories including at least a first directory and a second directory;

providing the first directory to a first node;

providing the second directory to a second node;

using the first crawler to enumerate at least a portion of the first directory; and

using the second crawler to enumerate at least a portion of the second directory.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

transferring a subdirectory of the first directory from the first node to the second node; and

using the second crawler to enumerate the subdirectory of the first directory.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the first batch of the files includes a first set of files that have changes according to one or more file system snapshots, the first batch of the files excluding a second set of files that have no changes according to the one or more file system snapshot.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the changes include at least one change in at least one directory name pertaining to at least one file in the first set of files.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of identifiers represents changes in the first batch of the files according to one or more file system snapshots.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a first checkpoint when a first set of files has been processed, the first checkpoint representing first state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files;

creating a second checkpoint when the first set of files and a second set of files have been processed, the second checkpoint representing second state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files; and

replacing the first checkpoint with the second checkpoint as an effective checkpoint for the at least the portion of the files.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising discarding a previous checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created, the previous checkpoint created prior to creation of the first checkpoint.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising retaining the first checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising discarding the first checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising maintaining a plurality of checkpoints in a rolling fashion.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the second set of files includes a first file and a second file, the first file enumerated before the second file, the first file processed after the second file.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first file and the second file are processed by different nodes.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the first set of files represents a set of contiguous batches of files.

28. The method of claim 20 further comprising synchronizing the first check point across a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including at least the first set of nodes and the second set of nodes.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more rules include that each file in the first set of files has not been changed since a previous enumeration of the at least the portion of the files.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has been processed since a previous enumeration of the at least the portion of the files.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has no effective metadata.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has a specific file name.

33. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a parameter for context data associated with each file of the plurality of files for facilitating the identifying.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the parameter represents a last seen time.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

stopping the enumerating;

finishing processing all files in the first queue; and

creating a checkpoint, the checkpoint representing state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising resuming the enumerating from the checkpoint.

37. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

stopping the enumerating;

saving a checkpoint after the stopping, the checkpoint representing state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files;

discarding all files in a third queue;

continuing the enumerating from the checkpoint; and

submitting a third set of identifiers associated with a third batch of the files to the third queue.

38. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for handling a plurality of files, the method comprising:

a set of queues including at least a first queue and a second queue;

a job manager configured to receive a service request comprising a filter to exclude a portion of the files from being processed;

a set of crawlers configured to;

enumerate at least a portion of the files not excluded by the filter, the set of crawlers including at least a first crawlers and a second crawler, the set of crawlers further configured to determine a number of files in the portion of the files not excluded by the filter and to determine an amount of processing work to process the number of files in the portion of the files not excluded by the filter;

identifying a first set of files of the portion of the files not excluded by the filter;

excluding the first set of files from a second set of files, the second set of files to be processed, the second set of files including a first batch of the files and a second batch of the files;

submit a first set of file identifiers associated with the first batch of the files to the first queue; and

submit a second set of file identifiers associated with the second batch of the files to at least one of the first queue and the second queue;

a first set of nodes configured to spawn a first set of service providers according to first workload associated with the first queue, the first set of service providers configured to process the first batch of the files; and

a second set of nodes configured to spawn a second set of service providers according to second workload associated with the at least one of the first queue and the second queue, the second set of service providers configured to process the second batch of the files.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first set of nodes is further configured to provide a first report after processing of the first batch of files has been completed, and the second set of nodes is further configured to provide a second report after processing of the second batch of files has been completed.

40. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising a job manager configured to save a state pertaining to the plurality of files when all of the at least the portion of the files have been processed, the state includes at least information pertaining to a restart path for processing the at least the portion of the files.

41. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising a job manager configured to group, according to at least a time attribute, the plurality of files into a plurality of time interval file groups, the plurality of time interval file groups including at least a first time interval file group associated with a first time interval and a second time interval file group associated with a second time interval.

42. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the time attribute represents at least one of a creation time, a modification time, a access time, and a retention time.

43. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the first time interval and the second time interval have different lengths.

44. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein:

the first crawler is configured to enumerate at least the first time interval file group; and

the second crawler is configured to enumerate at least the second time interval file group.

45. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the plurality of file groups further includes a third time interval file group associated with a third time interval, the set of crawlers further configured to skip the third time interval file group without enumerating the third time interval file group.

46. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the first set of nodes includes at least a first node and a second node, the first node configured to process a first set of files, the first set of files belonging to both the first batch of the files and the first time interval file group, the second node configured to process a second set of files, the second set of files belonging to both the first batch of the files and the second time interval file group.

47. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the plurality of file groups further includes a third time interval file group associated with a third time interval, the third time interval file group configured to be skipped without being processed.

48. The computer program product of claim 41 wherein the job manager is further configured to map the plurality of time interval file groups and the plurality of files into a tree structure.

49. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising a job manager, the job manger configured to remove one or more links among the at least the portion of the files to form a tree structure for the at least the portion of the files.

50. The computer program product of claim 49 wherein the set of crawlers is further configured to enumerate the at least a portion of the files according to the tree structure.

51. The computer program product of claim 49 wherein the job manager is further configured to map the tree structure into a list structure, the set of crawlers further configured to enumerate the at least a portion of the files according to the list structure.

52. The computer program product of claim 49 wherein the job manager is further configured to segment the tree structure into a plurality of directories, the plurality of directories including at least a first directory and a second directory, the job manager further configured to provide the first directory to a first node and to provide the second directory to a second node, the first crawler configured to enumerate at least a portion of the first directory, the second crawler configured to enumerate at least a portion of the second directory.

53. The computer program product of claim 52 wherein the job manager is further configured to transfer a subdirectory of the first directory from the first node to the second node, the second crawler further configured to enumerate the subdirectory of the first directory.

54. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first batch of the files includes a first set of the files that have changes according to one or more file system snapshots, the first batch of the files excluding a second set of files that have no changes according to the one or more file system snapshots.

55. The computer program product of claim 54 wherein the changes include at least one change in at least one directory name pertaining to at least one file in the first set of files.

56. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first set of identifiers represents changes in the first batch of the files according to one or more file system snapshots.

57. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising a job manager, the job manager configured to create a first checkpoint when a first set of files has been processed, the first checkpoint representing first state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files, the job manager further configured to create a second checkpoint when the first set of files and a second set of files have been processed, the second checkpoint representing second state information pertaining to the at least the portion of the files, the job manager further configured to replace the first checkpoint, with the second checkpoint as an effective checkpoint for the at least the portion of the files.

58. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the job manager is further configured to discard a previous checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created, the previous checkpoint created prior to creation of the first checkpoint.

59. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the job manager is further configured to retain the first checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created.

60. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the job manager is further configured to discard the first checkpoint after the second checkpoint has been created.

61. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the job manager is further configured to maintain a plurality of checkpoints in a rolling fashion.

62. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the second set of files includes a first file and a second file, the first file enumerated before the second file, the first file processed after the second file.

63. The computer program product of claim 62 wherein the first file and the second file are processed by different nodes.

64. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the first set of files represents a set of contiguous batches of files.

65. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the job manager is further configured to synchronize the first check point across a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including at least the first set of nodes and the second set of nodes.

66. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has not been changed since a previous enumeration of the at least the portion of the files.

67. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has been processed since a previous enumeration of the at least the portion of the files.

68. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has no effective metadata.

69. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the one or more rules include at least a rule requiring that each file in the first set of files has a specific file name.

70. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the set of crawlers is further configured to add a parameter for context data associated with each file of the plurality of files for facilitating identification of the first set of files.

71. The computer program product of claim 70 wherein the parameter represents a last seen time.