Continuous journaling of objects within a hierarchical directory tree
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRaymond Allen Bills, Jerry Leroy Von Berge
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for automatic journaling of objects in a computer file system. A journal directory operation is caused when a new or existing object to be linked into a directory if the directory has an attribute indicating automatic journaling status. An operating system synchronization lock is acquired before the object is journaled to preserve the object from changes by the operating system, and held in place until after journaling has started.
Claims20
A method for journaling objects of a directory on a computer system, comprising:
- configuring a first directory with a journaling attribute indicating that journaling is to be automatically started for objects linked into the first directory;
- acquiring a synchronization lock;
- linking a second directory into the first directory;
- in response to linking the second directory, initiating journaling the second directory as required by the presence of the journaling attribute;
- inheriting by the second directory, the journaling attribute indicating that an object linked to the second directory is to be automatically journaled;
- and
- releasing the synchronization lock after journaling is started, whereby the synchronization lock prevents changes to the second directory before initiating the journaling.
A data structure residing in memory, comprising a journaling attribute defined on a directory and causing automatic initiation of journaling of an object upon being linked into the directory, wherein the initiation of journaling is performed by an operation of an operating system configured to acquire a synchronization lock before the object is linked and hold the lock until after the journaling is initiated and wherein the journaling attribute is to be inherited by the object only if the object is a directory.
A signal bearing medium comprising a program which when executed by a processor, performs a method for journaling objects of a directory, comprising:
- acquiring a synchronization lock;
- linking a first directory into a second directory;
- in response to linking the first directory, initiating journaling for the first directory if the second directory is configured with a journaling attribute;
- inheriting by the first directory, the journaling attribute indicating that an object linked to the first directory is to be automatically journaled;
- and
- releasing the synchronization lock after journaling is started, whereby the synchronization lock prevents changes to the first directory before initiating the journaling.
A method for automatically journaling directory objects associated with a root directory, comprising:
- creating a new directory object;
- in response to a request to create the new directory object, acquiring a synchronization lock;
- linking the new directory object to an existing directory object configured with a journaling attribute configured to cause automatic initiation of journaling of objects linked into the existing directory object;
- determining whether the new directory object is to inherit the journaling attribute configured to cause automatic initiation of journaling of objects linked to the new directory object;
- and
- if the new directory object is to inherit the journaling attribute;
- associating the new directory object with an instance of the journaling attribute indicating that new objects subsequently linked into the new directory object will be automatically journaled;
- initiating journaling of the new directory object;
- and
- releasing the lock after initiating the journaling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.