Method and system for improving efficiency in the management of data references

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, perform a method comprising:

• grouping a plurality of data objects into a plurality of data object groups, wherein
• the grouping is performed based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the plurality of data object groups and one or more thresholds,
• the plurality of data objects is or will be stored in a deduplicated file system,
• the deduplicated file system is stored in a storage unit of the computer system,
• the deduplicated file system is configured to be configured for access as a user-space file system by another computer system, and
• one or more units of data by a deduplication service of a deduplication system,
• one or more data objects of the plurality of data objects are in each data object group of the plurality of data object groups, and
• the grouping the plurality of data objects comprises
• for each data object of the plurality of data objects,
• identifying an identified data object group of the plurality of data object groups, based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of one or more of the plurality of data object groups,
• recording a reference in a group record of a plurality of group records in a catalog for the deduplicated file system, wherein
• the reference identifies the each data object,
• the group record is for the identified data object group;
• for the each data object group of the plurality of data object groups,
• adding a group reference for the each data object group to a reference list, when the group reference for the each data object group is not already added to the reference list, wherein
• the group reference represents the one or more data objects of the each data object group by identifying the each data object group;
• and
• for another data object,
• determining whether the another data object can be added to a data object group of the plurality of data object groups,
• in response to a determination that the another data object can be added to the data object group, adding the another data object to the data object group, and
• in response to a determination that the another data object cannot be added to the data object group,
• creating a new data object group, and
• adding the another data object to the new data object group.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising
• grouping a plurality of data objects into a plurality of data object groups, wherein
• the grouping is performed based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the plurality of data object groups and one or more thresholds,
• the plurality of data objects is or will be stored in a deduplicated file system,
• the deduplicated file system is stored in a storage unit of the computer system,
• the deduplicated file system is configured to be configured for access as a user-space file system by another computer system, and
• one or more units of data by a deduplication service of a deduplication system,
• one or more data objects of the plurality of data objects are in each data object group of the plurality of data object groups, and
• the grouping the plurality of data objects comprises
• for each data object of the plurality of data objects,
• identifying an identified data object group of the plurality of data object groups, based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of one or more of the plurality of data object groups,
• recording a reference in a group record of a plurality of group records in a catalog for the deduplicated file system, wherein
• the reference identifies the each data object,
• the group record is for the identified data object group,
• for the each data object group of the plurality of data object groups,
• adding a group reference for the each data object group to a reference list, when the group reference for the each data object group is not already added to the reference list, wherein
• the group reference represents the one or more data objects of the each data object group by identifying the each data object group, and
• for another data object,
• determining whether the another data object can be added to a data object group of the plurality of data object groups,
• in response to a determination that the another data object can be added to the data object group, adding the another data object to the data object group, and
• in response to a determination that the another data object cannot be added to the data object group,
• creating a new data object group, and
• adding the another data object to the new data object group.