System and method for accessing file system entities
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsGermano Caronni, Sandeep Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for accessing file system entities. A lookup routine receives a request from a node to access a file system entity. After determining that a file system view table does not have a first entry that corresponds to the file system entity, the lookup routine searches the file system view table for an alternate entry. The alternate entry comprises an entity name of the requested entity, extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence. The lookup routine then expands the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node, and retrieves information from the file system view table corresponding to the expanded alternate entry.
Claims43
A method for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- receiving a request from a node to access a file system entity having an entity name;
- searching for an alternate entry corresponding to the file system entity, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an expandable sequence;
- expanding the expandable sequence by a value corresponding to the node;
- and
- retrieving information corresponding to the expanded sequence.
A method for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- receiving a request from a node to access a file system entity having an entity name;
- determining whether a file system view table has a first entry corresponding to the file system entity;
- searching the file system view table for an alternate entry based on the determination, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expanding the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and
- retrieving information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry.
An apparatus for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- a memory including an operating system that:
- receives a request from a node to access a file system entity having an entity name;
- searches for an alternate entry corresponding to the file system entity, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expands the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and retrieves information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry;
- and
- a processor that runs the operating system.
An apparatus for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- means for receiving a request from a node to access a file system entity having an entity name;
- means for searching for an alternate entry corresponding to the file system entity, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- means for expanding the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and
- means for retrieving information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method to facilitate access to file system entities, the method comprising:
- receiving a request from a node to access a file system entity having an entity name;
- searching for an alternate entry corresponding to the file system entity, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expanding the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and
- retrieving information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry.
A computer-readable memory device encoded with a data structure for use by an operating system in accessing file system entities, the data structure comprising:
- a first entry comprising an entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- and
- a second entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including a value representative of a context of a node.
An apparatus for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- a secondary storage comprising a plurality of file system entities, each of the file system entities including an entity name;
- a memory comprising:
- an operating system including:
- a file system view table including a plurality of entries;
- a lookup routine operable to receive a request from a node to access a file system entity;
- determine whether the file system view table has a first entry corresponding to the file system entity;
- search the file system view table for an alternate entry based on the determination, the alternate entry comprising an entity name of the requested entity extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expand the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and retrieve information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry;
- and
- a processor that runs the operating system.
A distributed system with a network having devices with nodes for accessing file system entities, one of the devices comprising:
- a secondary storage comprising a plurality of file system entities, each of the file system entities including an entity name;
- a memory comprising:
- an operating system including:
- a file system view table including a plurality of entries;
- a lookup routine operable to receive a request from a node to access a file system entity;
- determine whether the file system view table has a first entry corresponding to the file system entity;
- search the file system view table for an alternate entry based on the determination, the alternate entry comprising an entity name of the requested entity extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expand the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and retrieve information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry;
- and
- a processor that runs the operating system.
A method for accessing file system entities, comprising:
- sending, to a lookup routine, a request for access to a file system entity having an entity name, wherein the lookup routine performs a method comprising:
- searching for an alternate entry corresponding to the file system entity, the alternate entry comprising the entity name extended by an uncommon string of characters including an expandable sequence;
- expanding the expandable sequence of the alternate entry by a value corresponding to the node;
- and
- retrieving information corresponding to the expanded alternate entry;
- and
- receiving the retrieved information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.