Abstract: Accessing data file objects includes providing a file system interface on a client, where the file system interface allows an application running on the client to make file system calls to access the data file objects. A Web Services interface may also be provided on the client, where the Web Services interface allows an application to access file objects using the Web Services at the same time that file objects are being accessed through the file system interface. The Web Services interface may be a SOAP interface and/or a REST interface. Accessing data file objects may also include providing a direct file object interface on the client, where the direct file object interface allows an application to directly access file objects at the same time that file objects are being accessed using the Web Services interface and using the file system interface.

Abstract: Accessing data file objects includes providing a file system interface on a client, where the file system interface allows an application running on the client to make file system calls to access the data file objects. A Web Services interface may also be provided on the client, where the Web Services interface allows an application to access file objects using the Web Services at the same time that file objects are being accessed through the file system interface. The Web Services interface may be a SOAP interface and/or a REST interface. Accessing data file objects may also include providing a direct file object interface on the client, where the direct file object interface allows an application to directly access file objects at the same time that file objects are being accessed using the Web Services interface and using the file system interface.

Abstract: Consistent updates are made automatically over a wide-area IP network, concurrently with read-only access to the remote copies. A replication control protocol (RCP) is layered over TCP/IP providing the capability for a remote site to replicate and rebroadcast blocks of the remote copy data to specified groups of destinations, as configured in a routing table. A volume multicast layer over RCP provides for multicasting to specified volume extents of the blocks. The blocks are copied at the logical level, so that it does not matter what physical structure is used for storing the remote copies. Save volumes buffer the remote copy data transmitted between the primary or secondary file system volume and the IP network, in order to ensure independence between the replication process, the IP transport method, and the primary file system being replicated.

Abstract: Accessing data file objects includes providing a file system interface on a client, where the file system interface allows an application running on the client to make file system calls to access the data file objects. A Web Services interface may also be provided on the client, where the Web Services interface allows an application to access file objects using the Web Services at the same time that file objects are being accessed through the file system interface. The Web Services interface may be a SOAP interface and/or a REST interface. Accessing data file objects may also include providing a direct file object interface on the client, where the direct file object interface allows an application to directly access file objects at the same time that file objects are being accessed using the Web Services interface and using the file system interface.

Abstract: A file server maintains a production file system supported by a clone volume, and multiple snapshot file systems supported by respective save volumes in a snapshot queue. Before a data block is modified for the first time after creation of the youngest snapshot, the data block is copied from the clone volume to the save volume of the youngest snapshot. A bit map indicates the blocks that have already been copied, and a block map shows the save block address for each corresponding clone block address. When a new snapshot is created, the bit and block maps are converted to a hash index that is kept linked to the save volume of what had been the youngest snapshot. When other than the oldest snapshot file system is deleted, the respective save volume is retained as a hidden object until it becomes the oldest save volume.

Abstract: A file server maintains a production file system supported by a clone volume, and multiple snapshot file systems supported by respective save volumes in a snapshot queue. Before a data block is modified for the first time after creation of the youngest snapshot, the data block is copied from the clone volume to the save volume of the youngest snapshot. A bit map indicates the blocks that have already been copied, and a block map shows the save block address for each corresponding clone block address. When a new snapshot is created, the bit and block maps are converted to a hash index that is kept linked to the save volume of what had been the youngest snapshot. When other than the oldest snapshot file system is deleted, the respective save volume is retained as a hidden object until it becomes the oldest save volume.

Abstract: Consistent updates are made automatically over a wide-area IP network, concurrently with read-only access to the remote copies. A replication control protocol (RCP) is layered over TCP/IP providing the capability for a remote site to replicate and rebroadcast blocks of the remote copy data to specified groups of destinations, as configured in a routing table. A volume multicast layer over RCP provides for multicasting to specified volume extents of the blocks. The blocks are copied at the logical level, so that it does not matter what physical structure is used for storing the remote copies. Save volumes buffer the remote copy data transmitted between the primary or secondary file system volume and the IP network, in order to ensure independence between the replication process, the IP transport method, and the primary file system being replicated.