Specifying options in filenames and multiplexing the options onto file access operations of a file system

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a data processing system, causes the data processing system to:

• receive, in an intelligent file system of the data processing system, a file access command specifying a file access operation and an extended filename, wherein the extended filename comprises a full filename and one or more options multiplexed with the full filename, and wherein the file access command is a command for accessing an actual file on the physical storage device of the data processing system;
• parse, by the intelligent file system, the file access command to identify the file access operation, the full filename, and the one or more options;
• and
• execute, by the intelligent file system, the file access operation on the file of the physical storage device corresponding to the full filename using the one or more options specified in the extended filename, wherein the intelligent file system provides at least one extended function that is not able to be invoked by performing file access operation calls to an operating system of the data processing system or by performing file access operation calls to standard libraries of the data processing system, and wherein at least one option of the one or more options specified in the extended filename invoke the extended function of the intelligent file system.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• at least one physical storage device coupled to the processor, wherein the processor implements an intelligent file system associated with the at least one physical storage device, and wherein the intelligent file system:
• receives a file access command specifying a file access operation and an extended filename, wherein the extended filename comprises a full filename and one or more options multiplexed with the full filename, and wherein the file access command is a command for accessing an actual file on the physical storage device of the data processing system;
• parses the file access command to identify the file access operation, the full filename, and the one or more options;
• and
• executes the file access operation on the file of the physical storage device corresponding to the full filename using the one or more options specified in the extended filename, wherein the intelligent file system provides at least one extended function that is not able to be invoked by performing file access operation calls to an operating system of the data processing system or by performing file access operation calls to standard libraries of the data processing system, and wherein at least one option of the one or more options specified in the extended filename invoke the extended function of the intelligent file system.