US 7,689,533 B1 · Method and apparatus for using storage properties in a file system

Abstract

A method and apparatus of identifying and using storage properties within a file system. In particular, the invention exposes the storage property of an underlying storage volume i.e., mirrored storage, RAID storage, standard storage, archival storage and the like, to the user such that the user may select a volume with appropriate storage capabilities for their files. Furthermore, the storage property of a storage volume is used as a file property within the file system such that files may be organized using the storage property. In another embodiment of the invention, altering the storage property that is used as a file property, automatically moves the file from one storage volume type to another storage volume type in accordance with the selected storage property.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of using storage properties in a filing system, the method comprising:

exposing a storage property to a user using a computer, where the storage property identifies at least one volume capability of at least one storage volume that is accessible to a file system;
selecting, responsive to the storage property, at least one of the at least one storage volume for storing at least one file;
associating the storage property with the at least one file;
and
storing, using the computer, the at least one file on the at least one of the at least one storage volume;
and
wherein the exposing step further comprises:
creating a directory that identifies file storage organized by volume capability.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for using storage properties in a file system

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for using storage properties in a file system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15