Directory partitioning with concurrent directory access

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable to:

• receive a request to partition a first directory of a file system, wherein
• the request is received at a computing device coupled to a storage device, and
• at least a portion of the file system is stored in the storage device, and
• the first directory comprises a plurality of entries;
• create a partitioned directory in response to receiving the request, wherein
• the creating the partitioned directory comprises updating metadata by creating an inode in the partitioned directory and linking the inode to an another inode in the first directory,
• the partitioned directory comprises a plurality of partitions, and
• the creating the partitioned directory increases a number of points of access to the plurality of entries by virtue of the linking causing the partitioned directory comprising a plurality of partitions to comprise the metadata;
• distribute one or more entries of the plurality of entries to a corresponding partition of the plurality of partitions, wherein
• the distributing comprises
• sequentially traversing a list of the plurality of entries, and
• for each entry of the one or more entries of the plurality of entries,
• creating a copy of the each entry of the one or more entries of the plurality of entries, and
• storing the copy in the partitioned directory;
• track a progress of the distributing using a transfer offset;
• and
• based on a result of tracking the progress, facilitate performance of an operation while distribution of the entries is ongoing, wherein
• the operation comprises at least one of accessing the first directory, or updating the first directory.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a storage device, coupled to the one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors, wherein program instructions, executable by the one or more processors, are stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium and are configured to cause the one or more processors to
• receive a request to partition a first directory of a file system, wherein
• the request is received at a computing device coupled to a storage device, and
• at least a portion of the file system is stored in the storage device, and
• the first directory comprises a plurality of entries;
• create a partitioned directory in response to receiving the request, wherein
• the creating the partitioned directory comprises updating metadata by creating an inode in the partitioned directory and linking the inode to an another inode in the first directory,
• the partitioned directory comprises a plurality of partitions, and
• the creating the partitioned directory increases a number of points of access to the plurality of entries by virtue of the linking causing the partitioned directory comprising a plurality of partitions to comprise the metadata;
• distribute one or more entries of the plurality of entries to a corresponding partition of the plurality of partitions, wherein
• the distributing comprises
• sequentially traversing a list of the plurality of entries, and
• for each entry of the one or more entries of the plurality of entries,
• creating a copy of the each entry of the one or more entries of the plurality of entries, and
• storing the copy in the partitioned directory;
• track a progress of the distributing using a transfer offset;
• and
• based on a result of tracking the progress, facilitate performance of an operation while distribution of the entries is ongoing, wherein
• the operation comprises at least one of accessing the first directory, or updating the first directory.