US6604118B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
File system image transfer
Assignee: NetApp Inc
•
Filing: 1998-07-31
•
Granted: 2003-08-05
•
Expires: 2018-07-31
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a method and system for duplicating all or part of a file system while maintaining consistent copies of the file system. The file server maintains a set of snapshots, each indicating a set of storage blocks making up a consistent copy of the file system as it was at a known time. Each snapshot can be used for a purpose other than maintaining the coherency of the file system, such as duplicating or transferring a backup copy of the file system to a destination storage medium. In a preferred embodiment, the snapshots can be manipulated to identify sets of storage blocks in the file system for incremental backup or copying, or to provide a file system backup that is both complete and relatively inexpensive.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven Kleiman
- 👤 David Hitz
- 👤 Guy Harris
- 👤 Sean O'Malley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 02:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1446; G06F11/1448; G06F16/00; G06F16/10; G06F11/1402; G06F11/1415; G06F11/1435; G06F11/1456; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/84; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953; Y10S707/99954
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, comprising the steps of: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, comprising the steps of: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, comprising the steps of: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for identifying storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, comprising the steps of: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
159 words
A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to identify storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, the instructions comprising: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
159 words
A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to identify storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, the instructions comprising: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to identify storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, the instructions comprising: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
159 words
A memory storing information including instructions, the instructions executable by a processor to identify storage blocks in a file system having a plurality of storage blocks, the instructions comprising: identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image; identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image; performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image; wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus including: a storage medium that stores a file system having a plurality of storage blocks; a processor that executes instructions; and a memory that stores the instructions, the instructions executable by the processor to identify storage blocks in the file system, the instructions comprising: (a) identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image, (b) identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image, (c) performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image, wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus including: a storage medium that stores a file system having a plurality of storage blocks; a processor that executes instructions; and a memory that stores the instructions, the instructions executable by the processor to identify storage blocks in the file system, the instructions comprising: (a) identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first storage image, (b) identifying a second storage image indicating a second set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image, (c) performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical difference between the first storage image and the second storage image, wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus including: a storage medium that stores a file system having a plurality of storage blocks; a processor that executes instructions; and a memory that stores the instructions, the instructions executable by the processor to identify storage blocks in the file system, the instructions comprising: (a) identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image, (c) performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image, wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
164 words
An apparatus including: a storage medium that stores a file system having a plurality of storage blocks; a processor that executes instructions; and a memory that stores the instructions, the instructions executable by the processor to identify storage blocks in the file system, the instructions comprising: (a) identifying a first storage image indicating a first set of member storage blocks selected from the plurality, the first storage image including a first bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the first blocks selected from the plurality, the second storage image including a second bit plane indicating which member storage blocks are in the second storage image, (c) performing a logical operation on the first bit plane and the second bit plane to determine a logical sum of the first storage image and the second storage image, wherein at least the first storage image or the second storage image indicates member storage blocks forming a consistent file system other than an active file system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 2 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A memory as in claim 3 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A memory as in claim 4 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 5 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as in claim 6 , wherein the first bit plane and the second bit plane each form a column of a collection of bit planes, each row in the collection representing a storage block.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-04 | 2007-02-03 | 2007-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-04 | 2011-02-03 | 2011-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-04 | 2015-02-03 | 2015-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |