Methods for storing a database in extended attributes of a file system

Abstract

The present invention provides a definition, format, and structure of extended attributes for managing, maintaining, and controlling file systems. This is accomplished by creating a database containing management, maintenance, control, and other user-defined data that are associated with a directory entry of the file system. The database is stored inside the extended attribute or sets of extended attributes. According to the present invention, each extended attribute includes a header for defining the extended attribute that comprises a first plurality of fields. It also includes a plurality of records for storing data. In turn, each record of the plurality of records comprises a second plurality of fields. The extended attribute is identified by a string stored in a directory entry of a directory entry table for the file system. The string comprises a predetermined substring denoting the extended attribute having the database architecture of the present invention. The first plurality of fields of the extended attribute includes fields for storing a length of the header, a version number of the header, a revision number of the header, the number of extended attributes in the database, and the number of records in the plurality of records in the database. The second plurality of fields includes fields for storing a name of a record, data, a record length, a length of the record name, and a length of the data. Both the name and data are stored as strings.