US 7,480,682 B1 · In-place preservation of file system objects during a disk clone operation

Abstract

A cloning manager preserves in-place file system objects during a clone operation. The cloning manager determines boundaries of a file system to be created by the clone operation, and identifies at least one protected area within the boundaries, reserved for the file system. The cloning manager also identifies at least one in-place file system object within or overlapping the boundaries to be preserved during the clone operation. The cloning manager ensures that each object to be preserved is not located in a protected area, shifting the objects as necessary. The cloning manager creates the file system during the clone operation only in locations that do not contain objects to be preserved.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method for in-place preservation of file system objects during a clone operation, the method comprising the steps of:

determining boundaries on a target storage medium, the boundaries for containing a resultant file system;
identifying at least one in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries, the in-place file system object comprising data on the target storage medium existing prior to the clone operation;
storing, in a location that will not be affected by the clone operation, metadata concerning each in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries;
and
performing the clone operation, the clone operation comprising creating the resultant file system only in locations within the boundaries in which no in-place file system object is located.

2 more elements

A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions recorded thereon for in-place preservation of file system objects during a clone operation, comprising:
program code for determining boundaries on a target storage medium, the boundaries for containing a resultant file system;
program code for identifying at least one in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries, the in-place file system object comprising data on the target storage medium existing prior to the clone operation;
program code for storing, in a location that will not be affected by the clone operation, metadata concerning each in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries;
and
program code for performing the clone operation, the clone operation comprising creating the resultant file system only in locations within the boundaries in which no in-place file system object is located.

3 more elements

A computer system for in-place preservation of file system objects during a clone operation, comprising:

a processor for executing computer program modules;
and
a computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program modules comprising:
a software portion configured to determine boundaries on a target storage medium, the boundaries for containing a resultant file system;
a software portion configured to identify at least one in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries, the in-place file system object comprising data on the target storage medium existing prior to the clone operation;
a software portion configured to store, in a location that will not be affected by the clone operation, metadata concerning each in-place file system object at least partially within the boundaries;
and
a software portion configured to perform the clone operation, the clone operation comprising creating the resultant file system only in locations within the boundaries in which no in-place file system object is located.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

In-place preservation of file system objects during a disk clone operation

Life of this patent

In-place preservation of file system objects during a disk clone operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20