The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 10, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 24, 2014
Hitachi Data Systems Engineering Uk Limited, Bracknell, Berkshire, GB;
Daniel J. N. Picken, Bracknell, GB;
Neil Berrington, San Jose, CA (US);
Hitachi Data Systems Engineering UK Limited, Bracknell, Berkshire, GB;
Abstract
A file cloning mechanism allows for quickly creating copies (clones) of files within a filesystem, such as when a user makes a copy of a file. In exemplary embodiments, a clone of a source object is at least initially represented by a structure containing references to various elements of the source object (e.g., indirect onodes, direct onodes, and data blocks). Both read-only and mutable clones can be created. The source file and the clone initially share such elements and continue to share unmodified elements as changes are made to the source file or mutable clone. None of the user data blocks or the metadata blocks describing the data stream (i.e., the indirect/direct onodes) associated with the source file need to be copied at the time the clone is created. At appropriate times, cloned files may be 'de-cloned.'