Method and apparatus for virtualizing file system placeholders at a computer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- performing an archive operation, whereinthe archive operation archives a file stored in a first computer system,the archive operation comprises copying the file from the first computer system to a second computer system, andthe first computer system comprises a file system;
creating a placeholder in a separate data store, in response to the performing the archive operation, whereinthe placeholder corresponds to the file,the creation of the placeholder in the separate data store is initiated by the performing of the archive operation,the placeholder is not stored in the first computer system or the second computer system,the separate data store is other than the first computer system and the second computer system,the placeholder is unviewable by the file system, andthe placeholder is unviewable and inaccessible by a plurality of unregistered applications;
selectively registering an application of the plurality of applications, whereinthe file is mapped to the application, andthe selectively registering the application grants the application access rights to the placeholder in the separate data store;
maintaining information associated with the application, whereinthe information indicates that the application has permission to access the placeholder in the separate data store; and
servicing an access request, in response to determining that the access request was received from the application and that the application is registered to access the placeholder, whereinthe access request is redirected to the separate data store,the access request is a request to access at least one archived file of a plurality of archived files or the placeholder,the servicing comprises granting access to the at least one archived file, andaccessing the at least one archived file utilizes the placeholder in the separate data store.
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Abstract
The virtualization of file system placeholders is described. In one embodiment, a method for virtualizing placeholders includes monitoring placeholder creation initiated by at least one archival operation, generating placeholder data in a separate data store from a file system, wherein the placeholder data comprises a plurality of placeholders that correspond with a plurality of archived files, and servicing access requests for at least one archived file of the plurality of archived files using the placeholder data.
122 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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performing an archive operation, wherein the archive operation archives a file stored in a first computer system, the archive operation comprises copying the file from the first computer system to a second computer system, and the first computer system comprises a file system; creating a placeholder in a separate data store, in response to the performing the archive operation, wherein the placeholder corresponds to the file, the creation of the placeholder in the separate data store is initiated by the performing of the archive operation, the placeholder is not stored in the first computer system or the second computer system, the separate data store is other than the first computer system and the second computer system, the placeholder is unviewable by the file system, and the placeholder is unviewable and inaccessible by a plurality of unregistered applications; selectively registering an application of the plurality of applications, wherein the file is mapped to the application, and the selectively registering the application grants the application access rights to the placeholder in the separate data store; maintaining information associated with the application, wherein the information indicates that the application has permission to access the placeholder in the separate data store; and servicing an access request, in response to determining that the access request was received from the application and that the application is registered to access the placeholder, wherein the access request is redirected to the separate data store, the access request is a request to access at least one archived file of a plurality of archived files or the placeholder, the servicing comprises granting access to the at least one archived file, and accessing the at least one archived file utilizes the placeholder in the separate data store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable by the one or more processors to; perform an archive operation, wherein the archive operation archives a file stored in a first computer system, the archive operation comprises copying the file from the first computer system to a second computer system, and the first computer system comprises a file system; create a placeholder in a separate data store, in response to the detecting the archive operation, wherein the placeholder corresponds to the file, the creation of the placeholder in the separate data store is initiated by the performing of the archive operation, the placeholder is not stored in the first computer system or the second computer system, the separate data store is other than the first computer system and the second computer system, the placeholder is unviewable by the file system, and the placeholder is unviewable and inaccessible by a plurality of unregistered applications; selectively register an application of the plurality of applications, wherein the file is mapped to the application, and selectively registering the application grants the application access rights to the placeholder in the separate data store; maintain information associated with the application, wherein the information indicates that the application has permission to access the placeholder in the separate data store; and access the data store to process an access request, in response to determining that the access request was received from the application and that the application is registered to access the placeholder, wherein the access request is redirected to the separate data store, the access request is a request to access at least one archived file of a plurality of archived files or the placeholder, and accessing the separate data store comprises granting access to the at least one archived file using the placeholder in the separate data store. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
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perform an archive operation, wherein the archive operation archives a file stored in a first computer system, the archive operation comprises copying the file from the first computer system to a second computer system, and the first computer system comprises a file system; create a placeholder in a separate data store in response to the detecting the archive operation, wherein the placeholder corresponds to the file, the creation of the placeholder in the separate data store is initiated by the performing of the archive operation, the placeholder is not stored in the first computer system or the second computer system, the separate data store is other than the first computer system and the second computer system, the placeholder is unviewable by the file system, and the placeholder is unviewable and inaccessible by a plurality of unregistered applications; selectively register an application of the plurality of applications, wherein the file is mapped to the application, and the selectively registering the application grants the application access rights to the placeholder in the separate data store; maintain information associated with the application, wherein the information indicates that the application has permission to access the placeholder in the separate data store; and service an access request, in response to determining that the access request was received from the application and that the application is registered to access the placeholder, wherein the access request is redirected to the separate data store, the access request is a request to access at least one archived file of a plurality of archived files or the placeholder, and accessing the separate data store comprises granting access to the at least one archived file using the placeholder in the separate data store. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification