Abstract: A system and method for releasing storage space at the beginning of a byte stream while maintaining sequential byte stream semantics is provided. A ghost offset is initialized when a file is instantiated or opened. When information is deleted at the beginning of the sequential byte stream, the ghost offset is incremented in the amount of the number of bytes being deleted. The ghost offset continues to increment while the file is opened and information is being deleted at the beginning of the data stream. The virtual offset is the ghost offset added to the real offset of a particular entry in the data stream which maintains sequential byte stream semantics. When the file is closed, storage space is released in the amount of the ghost offset. Applications are provided with virtual offsets corresponding to data locations which are converted to real offsets for accessing data in the data stream.

Abstract: A system and method for including export information in the file system extended attribute data area is provided. File export information is determined by a system administrator or automated process. The determined export information is stored in an extended attribute data area corresponding with the file. When a computer system issues mount commands for the file systems to be mounted, the file system provides export information included in the extended attributes to the kernel whereupon the kernel exports the file system. Maintenance of file export information is thereby reduced. Backup, replications, and restorations of file systems is simplified by maintaining the export information along with the files being backed, replicated, or restored. For example, when the system administrator backs up a file, the export information in the extended attributes is backed-up as well. When the file system is retrieved, the export information is also retrieved within the extended attributes.