Allocating non-conflicting inode numbers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017139932-A1
Application number	US-201514940544-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 13, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	May 18, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for allocating non-conflicting inode numbers between files generated at a first location and files generated at another location is provided. The method includes providing an inode number allocation rule table indicating availability for assignment a plurality of inode number allocation rules associated with the first location and the another location, generating a fileset at the first location by assigning an available inode number allocation rule to the fileset, registering, in the inode number allocation rule table, information associated with the fileset, and generating a file at the first location by determining the fileset within which to generate the file; and allocating an inode number for the file based on the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for allocating non-conflicting inode numbers between files generated at a first location and files generated at another location, the method comprising:
providing an inode number allocation rule table comprising a plurality of inode number allocation rules associated with the first location and the another location, wherein the inode number allocation rule table indicates availability of the plurality of inode number allocation rules for assignment; generating a fileset at the first location comprising:
assigning an available inode number allocation rule to the fileset;
registering, in the inode number allocation rule table, information associated with the fileset comprising at least one of a fileset ID, a mount point, and an identification for the first location; and
generating a file at the first location comprising:
determining the fileset within which to generate the file; and
allocating an inode number for the file based on the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
generating another fileset at the another location comprising:
assigning another available inode number allocation rule to the another fileset; and
registering, in the inode number allocation rule table, information associated with the another fileset comprising at least one of another fileset ID, another mount point, and an identification for the another location; and
generating another file at the another location comprising:
determining the another fileset within which to generate the another file; and
allocating an inode number for the another file based on the another available inode number allocation rule assigned to the another fileset, and
wherein the inode number for the another file is different from the inode number for the file.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each inode number allocation rule from the plurality of inode number allocation rules determines a set of inode numbers that are different from sets of inode numbers determined by other inode number allocation rules from the plurality of inode number allocation rules.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the another location contains one or more files with an inode number from an initial set of inode numbers, and the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset allocates inode numbers different from the initial set of inode numbers.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the initial set of inode numbers are allocated by one or more previously assigned inode number allocation rules, and the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset allocates inode numbers different from inode numbers allocated by each of the one or more previously assigned inode number allocation rules.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein generating the fileset at the first location further comprises:
updating the availability of the available inode number allocation rule to the fileset.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
restoring the file at another location based on the inode number for the file.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inode number allocation rule table is managed by a server associated with one of the first location and the another location.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inode number allocation rule table is managed by an external server.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inode number allocation rule table, wherein the second inode number allocation rule table is synchronized with the inode number allocation rule table.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the inode number allocation rule table is managed by a server associated with the first location and the second inode number allocation rule table is managed by another server associated with the another location.

12 . A computer program product for allocating non-conflicting inode numbers between files generated at a first location and files generated at another location, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable non-transitory storage medium having computer readable program instructions thereon for execution by a processor, the computer readable program instructions comprising program instructions for:
providing an inode number allocation rule table comprising a plurality of inode number allocation rules associated with the first location and the another location, wherein the inode number allocation rule table indicates availability of the plurality of inode number allocation rules for assignment; generating a fileset at the first location comprising:
assigning an available inode number allocation rule to the fileset;
registering, in the inode number allocation rule table, information associated with the fileset comprising at least one of a fileset ID, a mount point, and an identification for the first location; and
generating a file at the first location comprising:
determining the fileset within which to generate the file; and
allocating an inode number for the file based on the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset.

13 . The computer program product according to claim 12 , wherein the computer readable program instructions further comprise program instructions for:
generating another fileset at the another location comprising:
assigning another available inode number allocation rule to the another fileset; and
registering, in the inode number allocation rule table, information associated with the another fileset comprising at least one of another fileset ID, another mount point, and an identification for the another location; and
generating another file at the another location comprising:
determining the another fileset within which to generate the another file; and
allocating an inode number for the another file based on the another available inode number allocation rule assigned to the another fileset, and
wherein the inode number for the another file is different from the inode number for the file.

14 . The computer program product according to claim 12 , wherein each inode number allocation rule from the plurality of inode number allocation rules determines a set of inode numbers that are different from sets of inode numbers determined by other inode number allocation rules from the plurality of inode number allocation rules.

15 . The computer program product according to claim 12 , wherein the another location contains one or more files with an inode number from an initial set of inode numbers, and the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset allocates inode numbers different from the initial set of inode numbers.

16 . The computer program product according to claim 12 , wherein the initial set of inode numbers are allocated by one or more previously assigned inode number allocation rules, and the available inode number allocation rule assigned to the fileset allocates inode numbers different from inode numbers allocated by each of the one or more previously assigned inode number allocation rules.

17 . A computer system for allocating non-conflicting inode numbers between files generated at a first location and files generated at another location, the computer system comprising:
at least one processing unit; at least one computer readable memory; at least one computer readable tangible, non-transitory storage medium; and program instructions stored

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Hasegawa Tohru
• Matsui Sosuke
• Narita Izuru

Classifications

• G06F16/178

  Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems · CPC title

• G06F16/122 Primary

  using management policies (point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185) · CPC title

• G06F17/30371

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30174

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30082 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic