Customized File System Object for Cross-Platform Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Global companies face challenges in managing file systems across wide area networks due to platform incompatibilities, varying data storage needs, and inefficiencies in transferring large computer animation files, leading to increased complexity and latency.
Innovation Solution
A customized file system object is generated based on user requirements, providing an interface for accessing specific hardware resources, including storage location, transfer speed, and versioning policies, to ensure cross-platform compatibility and optimized resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If data is transferred across wide area network from remote data centers, then storage capacity is improved, but data access latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments file system operations into local and remote components. Local file system cache stores frequently accessed files locally, while remote data centers store master copies. This segmentation allows users to access files locally with low latency while maintaining remote storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a local file system cache as an intermediary between users and remote data centers. This cache mediates file access requests by serving files locally when available, reducing the need for direct remote access and thereby decreasing latency while preserving storage capacity.
2Speed
If local storage solutions are provided along with off-site storage, then data access speed is improved, but file system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal file system interface that works uniformly whether files are accessed from local cache or remote data centers. The same file system calls and APIs are used regardless of file location, simplifying the user experience while enabling multi-location storage access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements file copying between remote data centers and local cache rather than complex linking mechanisms. When files are accessed, they are copied to local cache for fast access. This copying approach simplifies the file system management compared to maintaining complex link structures across distributed systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If files are moved to different storage locations, then storage flexibility is improved, but file identity changes causing broken links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the file identity concept from its physical location. Files are identified by unique identifiers rather than by their storage path or location. When files are moved between remote data centers or cache locations, their identifiers remain constant, preserving link integrity while enabling storage flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying to maintain file identity during movement. When a file is moved to a different storage location, a copy is created at the new location with the same file identifier. This ensures that existing links to the file remain valid while allowing flexible storage reorganization.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and processes provide network clients on various platforms a customized file system experience on demand while managing files (e.g., computer animation files) across a variety of storage devices spread across a network of arbitrary size (local area networks, wide area networks, worldwide networks, the world wide web, etc.). Clients may specify a set of requirements for an instantiation of a file system interface or object for a given application. Such requirements may include storage location, file quality, capacity, scale, permanence, speed, and the like. The system may then provide to the client a customized file system interface with particular hardware resources allocated to satisfy the designated file system requirements. The file system interface may coordinate file delivery, allocation, tracking, transportation, caching, deletion, and the like. The system may manage and allocate hardware resources ranging from a local client computer to distant hard drive banks across the world.