Abstract: Provided are implementations for improved access to information stored on a storage device. A plurality of first nodes and a second node are coupled to one another over a communications pathway, the second node being coupled to the storage device for determining meta data including block address maps to file data in the storage device, and the first nodes being configured for accessing file data from the storage device using said meta data, wherein at least one first node caches data including meta data for a file accessed by said first node. A file application on said first node is configured to get requested file data by accessing said cached data for the file.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program that processes a file request to operate on a target file that is directed to a file system. A determination is made as to whether a rule specifies a file attribute satisfied by the target file. In response to determining that the target file satisfies the file attribute of the determined rule, a determination is made as to whether a condition specified by the determined rule is satisfied. In response to determining that the condition is satisfied, an action specified by the determined rule is performed. The file request is forwarded to the file system to execute if the rule does not inhibit the file request.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for determining changes made to a source file to transmit to a target location providing a mirror copy of the source file. An operation to modify a source file at a source location is detected, wherein a target file at a target location includes a copy of a version of the source file. A base copy of the source file is created. The operation to modify the source file after creating the base copy is executed. Differences are determined between the source file and the base copy of the file. The determined differences are transmitted to the target location, wherein an aggregation of the target file and the transmitted determined differences comprises the modified source file.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for backing up source files in their native file formats to a target storage. Indication of files in a defined backup set to backup having a first status is maintained, wherein files to backup not having the first status have a second status. One file in a source file system in the defined backup set is detected to have changed. A determination is made as to whether the changed file has the first status. The changed file is written in its native file format to a target storage in response to determining that the changed file has the first status. The changed file is also written in its native file format to the target storage at a scheduled backup time.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system and program for maintaining and using information on updates to a data group after a logical copy is made of the data group. A first logical copy of a data group in a storage at a first point-in-time is established. The first logical copy maintains data to reconstruct the data group as of the first point-in time after the data group has been updated following the first-point-in time. Indication is made of regions of the data group updated at the storage after establishing the first logical copy. A second logical copy of the data group in the storage at a second point-in-time is established. The second logical copy maintains data to reconstruct the data group as of the second point-in time after the data group has been updated following the second point-in time. The indicated regions of the data group updated between the first and second points-in-time are saved in a change list.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for archiving files. A hierarchical file system having directories is provided. An archival retention policy is associated with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture for encoding file metadata into a file name used in a computer system is disclosed. Metadata is added to an original file name and extension created by a user. The metadata may be in the form of a left padded, monotonically increasing number which operates similar to a time stamp. The file extension is then duplicated following a delimiter to preserve a user's ability to search for the original file name and extension, while maintaining functional identification of the file type to the operating and/or file system.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for system recovery. An operating system and a backup copy of the operating system are both maintained in a partition of a computational device. A boot loader receives an indication to load the backup copy of the operating system. The boot loader loads the backup copy of the operating system. The computational device is rebooted with the loaded backup copy of the operating system.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for replicating a file. A file is copied to a target storage file system stored as a base file. A reference file comprising the copied file is generated at a local storage. An update is applied to the file at the local storage. A delta file is generated indicating differences between the updated file at the local storage and the reference file. A file system command is used to transmit the delta file to the target storage file system store to store in a directory of the target storage file system, wherein the file in the local storage is replicated at the target storage by a combination of the base file and the delta file.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for migrating source data to target data. A write request is received to write application data to source data not yet migrated to the target data. Information is generated for the write request indicating the source data to which the application data is written. The application data is written to the source data. A request is received to migrate source data to target data and indication is returned to retry the request to migrate in response to determining that the requested source data to migrate overlaps source data indicated in the generated information for one write request.

Abstract: A digital data processing system with improved network access to files in a storage system has a plurality of digital data processing nodes and a storage device. First or “client” nodes locally cache meta data such as maps to file data stored on the storage device and directly mount the file system using their cached data. A second “server” or MDC node connects to the storage device and mediates access to files, issuing file change notifications over the network for changed files or meta data. The second node preferably implements a SAN shared access storage system, and initially provides the maps for requested files, from which each of the first nodes builds their own cache in a natural way.

Abstract: The invention provides a digital data processing system with improved access to information stored on a peripheral device. The system has a plurality of nodes, a peripheral device, a file system and a bypass mechanism. A first node (e.g., a client node) is connected to a second node (e.g., a server node) over a first communications pathway (e.g., a network). The second node is itself connected to a peripheral device (e.g., a disk drive) over a second communications pathway. The first node, too, is connected to the peripheral device over a third communications pathway. The file system, executing on the first and second nodes, is capable of responding to access requests generated by the first node for transferring data between that node and the peripheral device, via the second node and via the first and second communications pathways. The file system also maintains administrative information pertaining to storage on the peripheral device of data designated by such requests.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for archiving files. A hierarchical file system having directories is provided. An archival retention policy is associated with at least one of the directories in the hierarchical file system, wherein the retention policy applies to files included in the associated directory, and wherein the retention policy specifies a retention time indicating a time period during which a file is subject to the retention policy.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program that processes a file request to operate on a target file that is directed to a file system. A determination is made as to whether a rule specifies a file attribute satisfied by the target file. In response to determining that the target file satisfies the file attribute of the determined rule, a determination is made as to whether a condition specified by the determined rule is satisfied. In response to determining that the condition is satisfied, an action specified by the determined rule is performed. The file request is forwarded to the file system to execute if the rule does not inhibit the file request.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for processing a request to write to a source file in a storage system. A determination is made as to whether a retention rule is provided for the source file. In response to determining that one retention rule is provided for the source file, a versioned file name is generated, wherein a versioned file comprises the source file at a point-in-time. A command is transmitted to a file system to copy the source file data to a versioned file having the generated versioned file name and the generated versioned file name is added to a retention index file. The retention index file is processed to determine whether to purge versioned files according to the retention rule provided for the source file.