Uniform name space referrals with location independence

A method of accessing content in file systems, comprising steps of:

• determining that a hosted file system is to be moved from a first hosting location;
• preventing updates from being made to the hosted file system, responsive to the determining step;
• moving the hosted file system from the first hosting location to a second hosting location;
• preventing all access to the hosted file system, responsive to the moving step;
• updating location information to reflect the hosted file system being moved to the second hosting location;
• simulating a system failure at the first hosting location;
• and
• allowing, and programmatically transferring from the first hosting location to the second hosting location, all access requests for the hosted file system after the simulated system failure.

A method of accessing content in file systems, comprising steps of:

• determining that a replica of hosted file system is to be deleted from a hosting location;
• preventing all access to the hosted file system replica;
• deleting the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• updating location information to reflect the deletion of the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• simulating a system failure at the hosting location;
• and
• programmatically transferring access requests for the deleted file system replica to another replica of the hosted file system, if another replica exists, after the simulated system failure.

A method of accessing content in file systems, comprising steps of:

• requesting a file object from a first location;
• receiving, as a response to the request, a symbolic reference for the requested file object, where the symbolic reference was created responsive to a determination that the requested file object is stored as a referral to a different location;
• and
• programmatically locating, using function at the receiver, the requested file object using the symbolic reference.

A method of accessing content in file systems, comprising steps of:

• requesting, by a requester, a hosted file system from a hosting location;
• receiving, by the requester, notification that the hosting location is recovering from a system outage, wherein the notification was triggered by a simulated system outage because a location of the hosted file system is being changed;
• automatically issuing a subsequent request for the hosted file system, responsive to receiving the notification;
• and
• receiving a response to the subsequent request, wherein the response to the subsequent request allows the requester to dynamically access the hosted file system at the changed location.

A system for accessing content in file systems, comprising:

• means for receiving, at a first location, a request for a file object;
• means for determining that the requested file object is stored as a referral to a different location;
• and
• means for returning, as a response to the request, a symbolic reference for the requested file object, where the symbolic reference can be used by a function at a receiver of the response to locate the requested file object.

A system for accessing content in file systems, comprising:

• means for determining that a hosted file system is to be moved from a first hosting location;
• means for preventing updates from being made to the hosted file system, responsive to operation of the means for determining;
• means for moving the hosted file system from the first hosting location to a second hosting location;
• means for preventing all access to the hosted file system, responsive to operation of the means for moving;
• means for updating location information to reflect the hosted file system being moved to the second hosting location;
• means for simulating a system failure at the first hosting location;
• and
• means for allowing, and programmatically transferring from the first hosting location to the second hosting location, all access requests for the hosted file system after the simulated system failure.

A system for accessing content in file systems, comprising:

• means for determining that a replica of hosted file system is to be deleted from a hosting location;
• means for preventing all access to the hosted file system replica;
• means for deleting the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• means for updating location information to reflect the deletion of the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• means for simulating a system failure at the hosting location;
• and
• means for programmatically transferring access requests for the deleted file system replica to another replica of the hosted file system, if another replica exists, after the simulated system failure.

A system for accessing content in file systems, comprising:

• means for requesting a file object from a first location;
• means for receiving, as a response to the request, a symbolic reference for the requested file object, where the symbolic reference was created responsive to a determination that the requested file object is stored as a referral to a different location;
• and
• means for programmatically locating, using function at the receiver, the requested file object using the symbolic reference.

A system for accessing content in file systems, comprising:

• means for requesting, by a requester, a hosted file system from a hosting location;
• means for receiving, by the requester, notification that the hosting location is recovering from a system outage, wherein the notification was triggered by a simulated system outage because a location of the hosted file system is being changed;
• means for automatically issuing a subsequent request for the hosted file system, responsive to receiving the notification;
• and
• means for receiving a response to the subsequent request, wherein the response to the subsequent request allows the requester to dynamically access the hosted file system at the changed location.

A computer program product for accessing content in file systems, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

• computer readable program code means for receiving, at a first location, a request for a file object;
• computer readable program code means for determining that the requested file object is stored as a referral to a different location;
• and
• computer readable program code means for returning, as a response to the request, a symbolic reference for the requested file object, where the symbolic reference can be used by a function at a receiver of the response to locate the requested file object.

A computer program product for accessing content in file systems, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

• computer readable program code means for determining that a hosted file system is to be moved from a first hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for preventing updates from being made to the hosted file system, responsive to operation of the computer readable program code means for determining;
• computer readable program code means for moving the hosted file system from the first hosting location to a second hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for preventing all access to the hosted file system, responsive to operation of the computer readable program code means for moving;
• computer readable program code means for updating location information to reflect the hosted file system being moved to the second hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for simulating a system failure at the first hosting location;
• and
• computer readable program code means for allowing, and programmatically transferring from the first hosting location to the second hosting location, all access requests for the hosted file system after the simulated system failure.

A computer program product for accessing content in file systems, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

• computer readable program code means for determining that a replica of hosted file system is to be deleted from a hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for preventing all access to the hosted file system replica;
• computer readable program code means for deleting the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for updating location information to reflect the deletion of the hosted file system replica from the hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for simulating a system failure at the hosting location;
• and
• computer readable program code means for programmatically transferring access requests for the deleted file system replica to another replica of the hosted file system, if another replica exists, after the simulated system failure.

A computer program product for accessing content in file systems, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

• computer readable program code means for requesting a file object from a first location;
• computer readable program code means for receiving, as a response to the request, a symbolic reference for the requested file object, where the symbolic reference was created responsive to a determination that the requested file object is stored as a referral to a different location;
• and
• computer readable program code means for programmatically locating, using function at the receiver, the requested file object using the symbolic reference.

A computer program product for accessing content in file systems, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

• computer readable program code means for requesting, by a requester, a hosted file system from a hosting location;
• computer readable program code means for receiving, by the requester, notification that the hosting location is recovering from a system outage, wherein the notification was triggered by a simulated system outage because a location of the hosted file system is being changed;
• computer readable program code means for automatically issuing a subsequent request for the hosted file system, responsive to receiving the notification;
• and
• computer readable program code means for receiving a response to the subsequent request, wherein the response to the subsequent request allows the requester to dynamically access the hosted file system at the changed location.