Filtering Directory Enumeration in Image Backups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image backup methods include unwanted files, leading to increased storage size, bandwidth overhead, and processing time due to the inability to delete individual files, resulting in unnecessary retention of file content.
Innovation Solution
A method for filtering directory enumerations in image backups to exclude files listed in the file system metadata but missing from the backup, reducing storage size, bandwidth overhead, and processing time by generating a filtered directory enumeration that omits such files.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image backup includes all allocated blocks from source storage, then backup completeness is improved, but backup storage size increases due to inclusion of unwanted files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unwanted file content from the image backup after the backup has been created. The system identifies files marked for exclusion in the source file system metadata and selectively removes their content blocks from the backup image, while preserving the file system metadata that tracks which blocks belong to which files. This allows the backup to remain complete for wanted files while reducing storage size by excluding unwanted files.
2Reliability
If image backup retains all file content from source storage, then restoration fidelity is improved, but bandwidth overhead increases during backup transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unwanted file content blocks from the backup image before transfer or during the backup process. By identifying files that should be excluded based on source file system metadata and removing their corresponding data blocks, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred over the network, thereby reducing bandwidth overhead and energy consumption during backup transmission.
3Measurement precision
If image backup includes complete file system structure, then directory enumeration accuracy is improved, but processing time increases when exposing or restoring backup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unwanted files from the backup image while preserving the file system metadata structure. When directory enumeration is performed on the backup, the system uses the metadata to identify which files should be excluded and filters them out during the enumeration process. This approach maintains accurate directory structure information for wanted files while reducing processing time by not having to handle or display unwanted file entries.
Data Source
AI summary
Filtering a directory enumeration of a directory of an image backup. In one example embodiment, a method for filtering a directory enumeration of a directory of an image backup may include exposing an image backup to directory enumeration command with the image backup listing a particular file as existing in a directory of the image backup even though the file content of the particular file is missing from the exposed image backup, receiving a directory enumeration command corresponding to the directory of the exposed image backup, generating a filtered directory enumeration that excludes the particular file, and returning the filtered directory enumeration.