Storage system format for transaction safe file system

• US 9,239,761 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Sachin, Gopalan, Yadhu, Rogers, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US13/210,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata

Abstract

A transaction safe file system uses two sets of file allocation tables and bitmap images to perform file modifications on one of the sets while the other set remains a last known good set. After a modification is complete, a pointer is changed to the newly modified set, and the newly modified set becomes the last known good set. The sets are then synchronized. The file allocation table is used to define cluster chains while the bitmap image is used to determine if a cluster is free or not. In some operations, only the bitmap image may need to be manipulated. The file system may be used in a transaction safe mode as well as a non-transaction safe mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a first bitmap image associated with a file allocation table of a file system as a last known good bitmap image, the file allocation table defining allocated storage segments in the file system, the first bitmap image configured to store an allocation bit for each of the allocated storage segments in the file system, the allocation bit indicative of whether a respective allocated storage segment is used or unused;

storing a value indicative that the first bitmap image is the last known good bitmap image;

synchronizing a second bitmap image to the first bitmap image resulting in the second bitmap image and the first bitmap image identically indicating the allocated storage segments in the file system, wherein the second bitmap image is to be modified and the first bitmap image is to remain unchanged in response to an operation to change the file system being performed;

changing a portion of the file system by performing at least one act of an operation that comprises a plurality of acts to be performed on the file system;

modifying the second bitmap image in response to changing the portion of the file system;

after modifying the second bitmap image, synchronizing the first bitmap image to the second bitmap image resulting in the first and second bitmap images identically indicating the allocated storage segments in the changed file system; and

subsequent to an interruption prior to completion of all steps of the operation, retaining the first bitmap image as the last known good bitmap image based on the stored value when the interruption occurs before all steps of the operation are complete.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifications to the second bitmap image made in response to changing the portion of the file system are not saved when an interruption occurs before all steps of the operation are complete.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interruption comprises a power disruption.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

toggling an indicium to the first bitmap image, and

committing the operation is in response to toggling the indicium to the first bitmap image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the portion of the file system comprises at least one of deleting at least a portion of a file in the file system, modifying at least a portion of a file in the file system, and adding a file to the file system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the portion of the file system is performed in a transaction safe mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first bitmap image is associated with a first file allocation table, and

the second bitmap image is associated with a second file allocation table, the second file allocation table comprising a copy of the first file allocation table.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising indicating the first file allocation table as a last known good file allocation table.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

modifying the second file allocation table in response to changing the portion of the file system; and

retaining the first file allocation table as the last known good file allocation table until all steps of the operation are complete.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein modifications made to the second file allocation table in response to changing the portion of the file system are not saved when an interruption occurs before all steps of the operation are complete.

11. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer executable instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform acts comprising:

indicating a first bitmap image associated with a file allocation table of a file system as a last known good bitmap image, the file allocation table defining allocated storage segments in the file system, the first bitmap image including an allocation bit for each of the allocated storage segments in the file system;

storing a value indicative that the first bitmap image is the last known good bitmap image;

synchronizing a second bitmap image to the first bitmap image resulting in the second bitmap image and the first bitmap image identically indicating the allocated storage segments in the file system, wherein the second bitmap image is to be modified and the first bitmap image is to remain unchanged in response to an operation to change the file system being performed;

changing a portion of the file system by performing at least one act of an operation that comprises a plurality of acts to be performed on the file system;

modifying the second bitmap image in response to changing the portion of the file system;

after modifying the second bitmap image, synchronizing the first bitmap image to the second bitmap image resulting in the first and second bitmap images identically indicating the allocated storage segments in the changed file system; and

subsequent to an interruption prior to completion of all steps of the operation, indicating the first bitmap image as the last known good bitmap image based on the stored value in response to the interruption occurring before all steps of the operation are complete.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein modifications to the second bitmap image made in response to changing the portion of the file system are not saved when the interruption occurs.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the interruption comprises a power disruption.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein:

indicating the first bitmap image as the last known good bitmap image comprises toggling an indicium to the first bitmap image, and

the operation is to be committed in response to toggling the indicium to the first bitmap image.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein changing the portion of the file system comprises at least one of deleting at least a portion of a file in the file system, modifying at least a portion of a file in the file system, and adding a file to the file system.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein changing the portion of the file system is performed in a transaction safe mode.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein:

the first bitmap image is associated with a first file allocation table, and

the second bitmap image is associated with a second file allocation table, the second file allocation table comprising a copy of the first file allocation table.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the acts further comprise indicating the first file allocation table as a last known good file allocation table.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the acts further comprise modifying the second file allocation table in response to changing the portion of the file system, wherein the first file allocation table remains as the last known good file allocation table if an interruption occurs before all steps of the operation are complete.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein modifications made to the second file allocation table in response to changing the portion of the file system are not saved when the interruption occurs.

21. A system comprising:

a memory storing thereon;

a file system;

a first bitmap image associated with a file allocation table of the file system, the file allocation table defining allocated storage segments in the file system, the first bitmap image configured to store an allocation bit for each of the allocated storage segments in the file system, the first bitmap image indicated to be a last known good bitmap image; and

a second bitmap image comprising a copy of the first bitmap image to identically indicate the allocated storage segments in the file system, wherein the second bitmap image is to be modified and the first bitmap image is to remain unchanged in response to an operation to change the file system being performed; and

one or more computer storage media storing thereon computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;

storing a value indicative that the first bitmap image is the last known good bitmap image;

changing a portion of the file system by performing at least one act of an operation that comprises a plurality of acts to be performed on the file system;

modifying the second bitmap image in response to changing the portion of the file system;

after modifying the second bitmap image, synchronizing the first bitmap image to the second bitmap image resulting in the first and second bitmap images identically indicating the allocated storage segments in the changed file system; and

subsequent to an interruption prior to completion of all steps of the operation, indicating the first bitmap image as the last known good bitmap image based on the stored value in response to occurrence of the interruption before all steps of the operation are complete.