Abstract: The described technology is generally directed towards domains that data services can use to collect files of a global filesystem namespace into groups, and domains that can be used to exclude certain files or metadata. A data service (a domain patron) creates a domain, e.g., for a particular directory, and a domain manager associates files under that directory with domain membership information. The data service can relate exclusion information to the domain, e.g., to exclude part of the directory. This can be done by an exclusion domain instance, e.g., a child to a parent domain, or can be done in metadata, by having the data service (e.g., a snapshot data service) exclude certain metadata such as snapshot identifiers from a larger set of snapshot identifiers.

Abstract: The described technology is generally directed towards domains that data services can use to collect files of a global filesystem namespace into groups, and domains that can be used to exclude certain files or metadata. A data service (a domain patron) creates a domain, e.g., for a particular directory, and a domain manager associates files under that directory with domain membership information. The data service can relate exclusion information to the domain, e.g., to exclude part of the directory. This can be done by an exclusion domain instance, e.g., a child to a parent domain, or can be done in metadata, by having the data service (e.g., a snapshot data service) exclude certain metadata such as snapshot identifiers from a larger set of snapshot identifiers.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a differential snapshot of a set of files stored on a volume is disclosed. The invention achieves processing time and disk space optimizations by avoiding copy-on-write operations for logically insignificant moves of blocks, such as the block rearrangements characteristic of defragmentation utilities. A file system enhancement enabling the passing of a block copy command from the file system to lower-level drivers, is used to inform the snapshotter that a block move operation is not logically meaningful. When the logically insignificant move is of a block whose data forms part of the data captured in the snapshot virtual volume, and when the move is to a block location that is functioning as logical free space, the snapshotter can simply modify its block bitmap and update translation table entries without needing to perform a copy-on-write.

Abstract: A computing device has a hardware device employed to provide a hardware service to the computing device and a plurality of virtual machines including a host virtual machine (VM-H) to which the hardware device is assigned, and a client virtual machine (VM-C) that can consume the hardware service by way of the VM-H. The VM-C includes an emulating stack and an enlightened stack. The emulating stack interfaces an application requesting the hardware service with a trap in a virtualization layer of the computing device which re-directs the request to the VM-H. The enlightened stack interfaces the application with the VM-H and bypasses the virtualization layer. The emulating stack includes a shunt driver that shunts to the enlightened stack each request from the application directed to the emulating stack.

Abstract: A computing device has a virtual machine bus (VM bus) operable in a pipe mode where all incoming data written to the VM bus from a source is passed through to be read from the VM bus by a sink, and a plurality of instantiated virtual machines (VMs). Each VM hosts an instance of an operating system upon an application may be instantiated. Each VM includes a computing object for issuing a call to a component object of another VM, and a VM bus system object for receiving the call and communicating same to a VM bus system object of the another VM by way of the VM bus. The VM bus system object is also for receiving the call from the VM bus system object of the another VM by way of the VM bus and for communicating the received call to the computing object.

Abstract: A computer system and method for communicating in a virtual environment. The computer system may include a first partition and a virtual service client implemented at a first position in the first partition. The computer system may also include a second partition, and a virtual service provider implemented at a second position in the second partition. The first partition and the second partition may be in operative communication via the virtual service client and the virtual service provider. The first position and the second position may enable the virtual service client and the virtual service provider to reduce processing overhead associated with communicating in the virtual environment by eliminating a processing step, a buffer copy, a software interrupt, and/or a context switch.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a differential snapshot of a set of files stored on a volume is disclosed. The invention achieves processing time and disk space optimizations by avoiding copy-on-write operations for logically insignificant moves of blocks, such as the block rearrangements characteristic of defragmentation utilities. A file system enhancement enabling the passing of a block copy command from the file system to lower-level drivers, is used to inform the snapshotter that a block move operation is not logically meaningful. When the logically insignificant move is of a block whose data forms part of the data captured in the snapshot virtual volume, and when the move is to a block location that is functioning as logical free space, the snapshotter can simply modify its block bitmap and update translation table entries without needing to perform a copy-on-write.

Abstract: A differential snapshot is established and maintained for a set of files stored on a volume. Copy-on-write operations are avoided for logically insignificant moves of blocks, such as the block rearrangements characteristic of defragmentation utilities. A file system passes a block copy command to lower-level drivers that are to inform the snapshotter that a block move operation is not logically meaningful. When the logically insignificant move is of a block whose data forms part of the data captured in the snapshot virtual volume, and when the move is to a block location that is functioning as logical free space, the snapshotter can simply modify its block bitmap and update translation table entries without needing to perform a copy-on-write.

Abstract: A computing device is partitioned to include a host partition (HP) instantiated at least in part to provide storage capabilities, and also to include a client partition (CP) instantiated at least in part to consume such storage capabilities of the HP in the form of a virtual storage device at the CP. The HP implements the virtual storage device of the CP as an image file on a physical storage device. The image file at the HP is compacted while the CP is active and employing the corresponding virtual storage device.

Abstract: A file system enables the real-time correction of detected corruptions to on-disk data. An enhancement to a file system responds in real time to file system corruptions detected on a running volume, and repairs the corruptions at the point where the file system detects them. Upon detection of a corruption by the file system, the system enhancement records information describing the nature of the corruption. A repair scan is defined for each type of corruption encountered. Repair scans can be run at the top level of execution in the current thread in which the corruption is detected, or they may require a dedicated thread to service the repair operation.

Abstract: An operating system copies data from memory pages into a paging file on disk, in order to free up space in the memory. A mechanism is disclosed that causes the data to be encrypted as it is copied into the paging file, thereby protecting the paged data from unauthorized (or otherwise undesired) observation. The data that is stored in the paging file is encrypted with a session key, that is generated shortly after the machine on which the paging file exists is started. The session key, which is used both for encryption and decryption of the paging file data, is stored in volatile memory, so that the key is not persisted across boots of the machine. Since the key is not persisted across boots, old paging file data that was stored prior to the most recent boot cannot be recovered in clear text, thereby protecting the data from observation.

Abstract: A method for establishing and maintaining a differential snapshot of a set of files stored on a volume is disclosed. The invention achieves processing time and disk space optimizations by avoiding copy-on-write operations for logically insignificant moves of blocks, such as the block rearrangements characteristic of defragmentation utilities. A file system enhancement enabling the passing of a block copy command from the file system to lower-level drivers, is used to inform the snapshotter that a block move operation is not logically meaningful. When the logically insignificant move is of a block whose data forms part of the data captured in the snapshot virtual volume, and when the move is to a block location that is functioning as logical free space, the snapshotter can simply modify its block bitmap and update translation table entries without needing to perform a copy-on-write.