Dynamic storage tiering in a virtual environment

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable to cause one or more processors of a computer system to:

• identify one or more files in a virtual machine file by accessing metadata describing the one or more files, wherein
• the non-transitory computer readable storage medium is comprised in the computer system,
• the computer system executes a host operating system,
• the host operating system identifies the one or more files using the metadata,
• the one or more files are not recognized by the host operating system,
• the host operating system accesses the metadata via a guest operating system, and
• the program instructions executable to cause one or more processors to identify the one or more files comprises further program instructions executable to cause one or more processors to
• mount the virtual machine file in a host file system associated with the host operating system;
• identify at least one file of the one or more files that is subject to a tiering policy, wherein
• the at least one file is identified based, at least in part, on one or more conditions specified by the tiering policy;
• select a first file of the at least one file;
• generate a map that translates a first location into another location, wherein
• the first location is a location of the first file in the virtual machine file,
• according to a guest file system of the guest operating system,
• the another location is an offset of the first file relative to the virtual machine file, according to the host file system of the host operating system, and
• the program instructions executable to generate the map comprise further program instructions executable to add the offset to the map;
• and
• access the first file using the map, wherein
• the first file is accessed by the host operating system, and
• the map facilitates access to the first file by the host operating system.

A computer system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable to
• identify one or more files in a virtual machine file by accessing metadata describing the one or more files, wherein
• the computer system is configured to execute a host operating system,
• the program instructions executable to identify are executed as part of the host operating system,
• the one or more files are not recognized by the host operating system,
• the host operating system accesses the metadata via a guest operating system, and
• the program instructions executable to identify the one or more files comprises further program instructions executable to mount the virtual machine file in a host file system associated with the host operating system;
• identify at least one file of the one or more files that is subject to a tiering policy, wherein
• the at least one file is identified based, at least in part, on one or more conditions specified by the tiering policy;
• select a first file of the at least one file;
• generate a map that translates a first location into another location, wherein
• the first location is a location of the first file in the virtual machine file, according to a guest file system of the guest operating system,
• the another location is an offset of the first file relative to the virtual machine file, according to the host file system of the host operating system, and
• the program instructions executable to generate the map comprise further program instructions executable to add the offset to the map;
• and
• access the first file using the map, wherein
• the first file is accessed by the host operating system, and
• the map facilitates access to the first file by the host operating system.