Data processing system and method

A method for operating a data processing system including a data processing arrangement comprising computing hardware, wherein the data processing arrangement, when in operation, is configured to access one or more virtual files having a genomic file format from a file system arrangement, wherein the method includes:

• (i) using a dynamic linker that uses an intercept library to intercept file access operations of an executable software product, wherein the dynamic linker is capable of accessing virtual files,
• (ii) arranging for the intercept library to employ multiple interception mechanisms, including a first interception mechanism to intercept dynamic binaries and a second interception mechanism different from the first interception mechanism;
• (iii) arranging for the intercept library to employ the first interception mechanism to intercept a launch by a parent process of a new child process associated with an executable binary;
• (iv) intercepting, using the intercept library, the launch of the new child process by the parent process,
• (v) determining whether the executable binary has a dependence on an operating system library;
• and
• (vi)
• arranging, when the executable binary is not dependent on the operating system library, for the intercept library to use the second interception mechanism to intercept file system calls made by the new child process for accessing a virtual file that does not exist on the file system arrangement,
• wherein the virtual file is a just-in-time translation of one or more real files of genomic data from a compressed genomic file format to the genomic file format, wherein the genomic file format is different from the compressed genomic file format.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions being executable by a computerized device comprising processing hardware to execute a method for operating a data processing system including a data processing arrangement comprising computing hardware, wherein the data processing arrangement, when in operation, is configured to access one or more virtual files having a genomic file format from a file system arrangement, wherein the method includes:

• using a dynamic linker that uses an intercept library to intercept file access operations of an executable software product, wherein the dynamic linker is capable of accessing virtual files,
• arranging for the intercept library to employ multiple interception mechanisms, including a first interception mechanism to intercept dynamic binaries and a second interception mechanism different from the first interception mechanism;
• arranging for the intercept library to employ the first interception mechanism to intercept a launch by a parent process of a new child associated with an executable binary;
• intercepting, using the intercept library, the launch of the new child process by the parent process,
• determining whether the executable binary has a dependence on an operating system library;
• and
• arranging, when the executable binary is not dependent on the operating system library, for the intercept library to use the second interception mechanism to intercept file system calls made by the new child process for accessing a virtual file that does not exist on the file system arrangement,
• wherein the virtual file is a just-in-time translation of one or more real files of genomic data from a compressed genomic file format to the genomic file format, wherein the genomic file format is different from the compressed genomic file format.