File system for distributing content in a data network and related methods

• US 20020059245A1
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: XOsoft Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shtilman, Leonid, Kogan, Leonid, Barboy, Dmitri, Zakharov, Michael, Usvyatsky, Ilya
• Granted Patent: US 6,711,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A file system for distributing content in a data network, includes a file replication and transfer system and a replicated file receiver system. The file replication and transfer system includes an interface file system which looks for changes made to contents of a file created and stored in an associated work file system; and a file system monitor communicatively associated with the interface filing system for monitoring events occurring with the interface file system and causing copies of the new files to be transferred over the data network to the replicated file receiver system. The interface file system also looks for changes made to the contents of files already stored in the work file system and creates an update file in a mirror file system if a change to the contents of a file stored in the work file system is observed by the interface file system. A collector file system communicatively associated with the mirror file system is provided for temporarily storing a copy of the update file. The replicated file receiver system includes a file construction system for constructing a new version of the file from a copy of the file and the update file; a receiver collector file system for storing the new version of the file; and a receiver interface file system for enabling work to be conducted with an old copy of the file if an open request for the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file, and for enabling work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

Claims

1. A method for distributing content in a data network, the method comprising the steps of:

creating an update file which records changes made to contents of a file stored in a work file system;

generating a notification that the at least one change has been made to the contents of the file stored in the work file system, the notification indicating that the update file reflects all the changes of a version of the file; and

distributing the update file over the data network to a receiver work file system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver work file system stores a copy of the file without the changes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the update file is created in a mirror file system.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein prior to the distributing step and in response to the generating step, further comprising the step of copying the update file from the mirror file system to a collector file system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to the distributing step, further comprising the step of copying the update file to a spool directory.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to the distributing step, further comprising the step of compressing the update file.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to the distributing step, further comprising the step of generating a map of the update file and appending the map to the update file.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of incorporating the changes provided by the update file into the copy of the file stored in the receiver work file system.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the incorporating step includes the step of constructing a new version of the file from the copy of the file and the update file.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of working with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file stored in the receiver work file system has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of working with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file stored in the receiver work file system has been made after the construction of the new version of the file.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of working with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file stored in the receiver work file system has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file;

and

working with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file stored in the receiver work file system has been made after the construction of the new version of the file.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the incorporating step further includes storing the new version of the file in a receiver collector file system.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to the creating step, further comprising the step of looking for changes made to the file stored in the work file system, the looking and creating steps being performed in a kernel mode.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification generating step is performed by a interface file system.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the interface file system is mounted on the work file system.

17. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the steps of constructing a new version of the file and generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed is performed by a file construction system.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a receiver interface file system, which prior to the step of generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed, enables work to be conducted with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the receiver interface file system is mounted on the receiver work file system.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a receiver interface file system, which in response to the step of generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed, enables work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the receiver interface file system is mounted on the receiver work file system.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a receiver interface file system, which prior to the step of generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed, enables work to be conducted with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file, and which in response to the step of generating a notification that the new version of the file has been constructed, enables work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the receiver interface file system is mounted on the receiver work file system.

29. The file system according to claim 28, wherein the interface file system looks for changes made to the contents of files already stored in the work file system.

30. The file system according to claim 29, further comprising a mirror file system communicatively associated with the interface file system, the mirror file system for creating an update file if a change to the contents of a file stored in the work file system is observed by the interface file system, the update file recording the change.

31. The file system according to claim 30, wherein the file system monitor causes the update file stored in the mirror file system to be transferred over the data network to the replicated file receiver system.

32. The file system according to claim 30, further comprising a collector file system communicatively associated with the mirror file system for temporarily storing a copy of the update file.

33. The file system according to claim 32, wherein the file system monitor causes the update file to be copied from the mirror file system to the collector file system prior to its transfer over the data network to the replicated file receiver system.

34. The file system according to claim 31, wherein the file system monitor includes a spool directory for temporarily storing copies of new files created in the work file system and update files created in the mirror file system that are waiting to be transferred.

35. The file system according to claim 28, wherein the file system monitor includes a spool directory for temporarily storing copies of new files created in the work file system that are waiting to be transferred.

36. The file system according to claim 31, wherein the replicated file receiver system includes a file construction system for constructing a new version of the file from a copy of the file and the update file.

37. The file system according to claim 36, wherein the replicated file receiver system further includes a receiver collector file system for storing the new version of the file.

38. The file system according to claim 36, wherein the replicated file receiver system further includes a receiver interface file system for enabling work to be conducted with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file, and for enabling work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

39. The file system according to claim 38, wherein the receiver interface file system is mounted on the receiver work file system.

25. A method for distributing content in a data network, the method comprising the steps of:

looking for changes made to contents of a file stored in a work file system;

creating an update file which records only changes made to the contents of the file stored in the work file system; and

distributing the update file over the data network to a receiver work file system;

wherein the looking and creating steps are performed in a kernel mode.

26. A method for distributing content in a data network, the method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a file in a work file system;

generating a notification that the file has been created and stored in the work file system; and

distributing a copy of the file over the data network to a receiver work file system.

27. A method for distributing content in a data network, the method comprising the steps of:

looking for files created and stored in a work file system; and

distributing copies of the files over the data network to a receiver work file system operating at a second location;

wherein the looking step is performed in a kernel mode.

28. A file system for distributing content in a data network, the system comprising:

a file replication and transfer system;

a replicated file receiver system;

the file replication and transfer system including;

an interface file system for looking for new files created and stored in an associated a work file system; and

a file system monitor communicatively associated with the interface filing system, for monitoring events occurring with the interface file system and causing copies of the new files to be transferred over the data network to the replicated file receiver system.

40. A file replication and transfer system for distributing content in a data network, the system comprising:

an interface file system for looking for new files created and stored in an associated a work file system; and

a file system monitor communicatively associated with the interface filing system, for monitoring events occurring with the interface file system and causing copies of the new files to be transferred over the data network.

41. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 40, wherein the interface file system looks for changes made to the contents of files already stored in the work file system.

42. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 41, further comprising a mirror file system communicatively associated with the interface file system, the mirror file system for creating an update file if a change to the contents of a file stored in the work file system is observed by the interface file system, the update file recording the change.

43. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 42, wherein the file system monitor causes the update file stored in the mirror file system to be transferred over the data network.

44. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 42, further comprising a collector file system communicatively associated with the mirror file system for temporarily storing a copy of the update file.

45. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 44, wherein the file system monitor causes the update file to be copied from the mirror file system to the collector file system prior to its transfer over the data network.

46. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 43, wherein the file system monitor includes a spool directory for temporarily storing copies of new files created in the work file system and update files created in the mirror file system that are waiting to be transferred.

47. The file replication and transfer system according to claim 40, wherein the file system monitor includes a spool directory for storing copies of new files created in the work file system that are waiting to be transferred.

49. The replicated file receiver system according to claim 48, further comprising a receiver collector file system for storing the new version of the file.

50. The replicated file receiver system according to claim 49, further comprising a receiver interface file system for enabling work to be conducted with the copy of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made prior to the construction of the new version of the file, and for enabling work to be conducted with the new version of the file if an open request for the copy of the file has been made after the notification that the new version of the file has been constructed.

51. The replicated file receiver system according to claim 50, wherein the receiver interface file system is mounted on the receiver work file system.

48. A replicated file receiver system for distributing content in a data network, the system comprising:

a file construction system for receiving copies of new files, and update files transmitted thereto over the data network, each update file carrying changes to a file stored on an associated receiver work file system, the file construction system constructing a new version of the file stored on the associated work file system from the file stored on the associated work file system—

and the update file.