System and method for supporting file attributes on a distributed file system without native support therefor

Claim 1

A computerized method for storing data related to attributes of an operating system namespace and file having a corresponding operating system filename, said operating system file being stored in a directory in a distributed file system namespace, wherein said attributes are unsupported in said namespace, comprising the steps of: creating a first directory under said directory containing all of said attributes for said directory; creating a second directory under said first directory having the same name as said operating system filename; storing a plurality of said attributes under said second directory as attribute files, each said attribute file having a corresponding attribute filename and an original filename corresponding to a respective attribute to render said attribute file invisible to clients accessing said operating system namespace, and selected ones of said attribute filenames further each including a critical file designator preceding a respective said original attribute filename to indicate that said selected attribute filename corresponds to a critical said attribute file; determining the total size "N" of said attribute files and the number "C" of said critical attribute files; and storing under said second directory a size/critical file including said total size "N" of said attribute files and said number "C" of said critical attribute files.