Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is directed to the containerization of content units that are accessed using an identifier. Applicants have appreciated that file systems sometimes impose limits on the number of files that may be stored therein that are too restrictive. Thus, in one embodiment, multiple content units may be stored in a single file, called a container file, in a file system. Each content unit may have an identifier associated with it. When an accessing entity requests access to a previously-stored content unit and provides the identifier for the content unit, the identifier may be used to locate the container file in which the content unit is stored.

Abstract: A semiconductor recording medium holds an open flag showing presence or absence of consistency between content data stored in a data storage section and file system management information, in a system region not directly accessible from a host device. Upon receipt of a write request or erase request to the data storage section from the host device, the semiconductor recording medium automatically updates the open flag to “ON” (value showing possibility of inconsistency). When actual consistency is verified, the host device requests the recording medium to set the open flag to “OFF” (value showing presence of consistency). When mounting, the host device refers to the open flag with a special command to judge necessity for error check process.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to compress journal data in a continuous data protection system. An exemplary embodiment includes storing journal data including a do data stream and an undo data stream in a continuous data protection system, compressing data prior to entry in the do data stream, storing compression information in a do metadata stream for the do data stream entry, accessing the data for the entry in the do data stream, examining the do metadata stream for the entry, and decompressing the do data stream entry and writing the decompressed data to storage.

Abstract: In a file system such as an FAT file system, clusters are linked only in the forward direction. To perform seeks to clusters in the reverse direction, links need to be followed from the beginning side of the file data in every seeking operation. When a large amount of data is subjected to such reverse seeking, the overhead will be particularly large. A memory controller (101) for controlling data writing or reading to or from an information recording medium includes a control unit (105) that detects continuity of data in an address space of a file system managing data that is recorded into the information recording medium and a data-continuity management unit (103) that stores information about the continuity of the data as data-continuity information.

Abstract: Computer-based systems and methods enable analysts to manage and explore the information that hard drives and other storage devices or sources of data may contain, and for extracting forensic features and performing cross drive analysis.

Abstract: Aspects of the innovations herein are consistent with a storage system for storing variable sized objects. The storage system may be a transaction-based system that uses variable sized objects to store data. The storage system may be implemented using arrays disks that are arranged in ranks. Each rank may include multiple stripes. Each stripe may be read and written as a convenient unit for maximum performance. A rank manager may be provided to dynamically configure the ranks to adjust for failed and added disks by selectively shortening and lengthening the stripes. The storage system may include a stripe space table that contains entries describing the amount of space used in each stripe. An object map may provide entries for each object in the storage system describing the location (e.g., rank, stripe and offset values), the length and version of the object.

Abstract: File attribute information is shared between processes running on a virtual machine and processes accessing a virtual hard disk from a host level. When a host level process accesses files on a virtual hard disk, that process updates the relevant file attribute information, and stores the updated file attribute information on the virtual hard disk. When a virtual machine level process subsequently accesses files on the virtual hard disk, that process reads the updated file attribute information, and omits unnecessary operations. When a virtual machine level process accesses files on the virtual hard disk and updates the corresponding file attribute information, that process communicates the updated file attribute information to the host. When a host level process subsequently accesses files on the virtual hard disk, the host level process reads the updated file attribute information.

Abstract: In the current invention, a method and apparatus for efficiently deleting large files is described. This is done by having a special inode for pointing to data blocks to be freed, and subsequently freeing the data blocks from the special inode in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A managing computer is connected to object computers, the managing computer being connected to the object computers and the storage which is connected to the object computers for managing the object computers and the storage. The managing computer includes an interface for receiving volume managing information relating to storage areas in the storage, file sharing information relating to file sharing in the storage which is provided by the object computers and storage managing information relating to the storage, and a control unit which specifies the object computers or the storage to be preset controlled according to the volume managing information, the file sharing information and the storage managing information for managing the object computers and the storage by instructing the specified object computers or the specified storage to carry out the preset control.

Abstract: An application program interface (API) provides means for dynamic filesystem creation, that allows complex filesystem hierarchies to be created and written on-the-fly without having to generate a complete on-disk representation. The filesystem is laid out in a one-parent many-children hierarchy of file and folder objects. The API recursively traverses the filesystem hierarchy beginning at the root node to determine the filesystem's structure. Callback functions for retrieval of file data are determined for each filesystem object and stored in memory. Output blocks are allocated for file data as needed. During the writing phase, the callback functions are executed to retrieve file data which is then written to the desired computer readable media.

Abstract: A system, method, and program product for accessing or retrieving on a computer network the required software to process a file is disclosed. According to the invention, it is determined, when accessing a file, whether or not software required to process this file is already installed on the user's computing device, depending upon the type of the file. If the required software is not installed on the user's device, the address of a server from which this software can be downloaded or accessed through the network is extracted and decoded from the filename of the accessed file. A browser or file transfer program is launched on the user's computing device and a request for the required software package is sent from the user's computing device to the server corresponding to the decoded address from which it is downloaded or accessed. The software is then unpacked, if necessary, and installed so as to process the accessed file.

Abstract: Document libraries that facilitate content contribution to and management of a website. In general, a document library comprises a database, a special “document library” file system folder and the documents in that folder (or within subfolders of that folder). The database maintains properties of documents in the document library file system folder, and is used to dynamically update views of the document library file system folder and views of properties of the documents. Each document folder is a folder in which content of a specified type may be read and saved.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for managing computer file storage is presented. In one embodiment the method includes receiving a file for storage. In response to determining that the file exceeds a pre-determined size, the file is stored in a pre-designated folder that is reserved for oversized files.

Abstract: Described is a mechanism for exposing a volume shadow copy of a shared volume over a network to a remote client. A shared volume is accessed at a client computing system having a root. A volume shadow copy (or “snapshot”) of the volume is identified as a child resource of the shared volume. The child resource representing the snapshot may be hidden from ordinary view by default. To access the snapshot, a user may access the child resource as if it were an ordinary file or directory on the shared volume. Advantageously, the user need not mount a new volume representing the snapshot volume, but rather the user may directly access the snapshot.

Abstract: In the current invention, a method and apparatus for automatically managing fragmentation on a disk is described. This is done by having a special Mode for preallocation and dumping of contiguous block chunks.

Abstract: A playlist editing apparatus includes a management unit 11 that manages a playlist, a playlist name input unit 12 for newly setting a playlist name, a determination unit 13 that determines whether conversion of a character code of a playlist name set for an existing playlist is required, based on a relationship with a character code of a set playlist name, a changing unit 14 that changes a character code flag of the existing playlist to a flag corresponding to a character code to be converted to, when it is determined that character code conversion is required, a character code conversion unit 15 that converts a character string targeted for conversion to a designated character code, in response to changing of the character code flag, and a playlist name setting unit 16 that sets the converted character string as the playlist name. This enables a playlist to be edited so that inconsistency in character codes throughout the playlist and the disk does not occur.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing data from a recording medium are disclosed. The method and apparatus calls for downloading data associated with data read from the recording medium. The downloaded data is stored in a local storage using an organization ID directory. The downloaded data from the local storage and the data from the recording medium are ultimately bound together to form a virtual package.

Abstract: In a cluster type NAS, it is necessary to copy file data between disk devices of servers upon migration of a file system or a part of the file system. A server includes a control table for managing a file system or a part of the file system, and a mapping table for managing a relation between a logical device of a disk subsystem and a logical unit recognized by a server, and in response to an instruction to execute migration of the file system from a first server to a second server, the mapping table is referenced to send an instruction to update the relation between the logical device and the logical unit to the second server, and the second server newly recognizes a logical unit and updates a management server identifier of the control table.

Abstract: A recording medium, a method of controlling a file of the recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing the same are disclosed. The recording medium includes at least one data area storing an original file system, which includes original data files, at least one normal file designating at least one of the original data files, and at least one remote file designating at least one additional data file, the at least one additional data file being required to be downloaded from an external source in order to play-back the at least one remote file.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a grouping section configured to group a plurality of content data stored on a storage medium into a plurality of content groups; a group selection section configured to select one of the plurality of content groups in response to an input from a user; and a reproduction control section configured to reproduce one of a plurality of content data belonging to one content group selected by the group selection section, for output starting from a point in time of the selection.

Abstract: A method of accessing a shareable computer file includes receiving a request to access the shareable computer file, retrieving a file ID from a stub file corresponding to the shareable computer file, retrieving a file name from a database corresponding to the file ID, accessing the shareable computer file if a user has not modified the shareable computer file, and accessing a modified copy of the shareable file stored in the stub file if the user has modified the shareable computer file. A database is generated in operating system space or accessed using the operating system, and includes file IDs and their corresponding file names for shareable computer files. The stub file is generated locally to correspond to the shareable computer file, and includes a modified copy of the shareable computer file if the shareable computer file has been modified, and a link to the shareable computer file if the shareable computer file has not been modified.