NFS File Handle Pseudo-Pathname Translation for CIFS Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network file access protocols face challenges in sharing files between clients using different protocols, such as NFS and CIFS, due to the stateless nature of NFS, which requires laborious reverse lookups and additional processing for maintaining persistent mapping databases, leading to increased costs and time in accessing files.
Innovation Solution
Encoding a file handle into a pseudo-pathname that can be used as a substitute for a pathname in a different file access protocol, allowing the file server to decode and access the file without directory searches, thereby enabling seamless access across protocols like NFS and CIFS without additional caching or state information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a reverse lookup is performed to translate NFS file handles to pathnames for CIFS access, then file access is enabled between different protocols, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pseudo-pathname as an intermediary structure that bridges NFS and CIFS protocols. The pseudo-pathname contains embedded file handle information and allows CIFS clients to access files without requiring real-time reverse lookups through the directory hierarchy, thus enabling protocol compatibility while reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary encoding of the NFS file handle into a pseudo-pathname format that is pre-prepared for CIFS access. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex reverse lookups during actual file access operations, reducing processing time while maintaining protocol adaptability.
2Reliability
If a persistent mapping database is maintained to store file handle to pathname mappings, then accurate file access is ensured, but storage cost and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential file identification information from the complex pathname lookup process and embeds it directly into the pseudo-pathname structure. This extraction eliminates the need for persistent mapping databases while maintaining reliable file access, as the file handle information is self-contained within the pseudo-pathname itself.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of maintaining a persistent database of mappings, the system creates a copy of the file handle information embedded within the pseudo-pathname structure. This copying approach provides the necessary mapping information without requiring additional storage infrastructure or complex database management.
3Ease of operation
If directory searches are performed to locate files for CIFS clients, then file access is achieved, but access speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables CIFS clients to skip the lengthy directory search process by using pseudo-pathnames that directly encode file handle information. The pseudo-pathname format allows the system to rush through the file location process by directly accessing the embedded handle information rather than traversing the directory hierarchy, significantly improving access speed while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A file handle produced by a file server is encoded into a pseudo-pathname used as a substitute for a pathname in a network file access protocol for accessing a file in the file server. The method avoids repeating a directory lookup and may permit the network file access protocol to access a file that has been renamed since the file handle was produced. The method is particularly advantageous for enabling a file server to use a CIFS client for virus checking or backup of a file modified by an NFS client. In a preferred implementation, the encoding of the file handle into a pseudo-pathname involves converting the file handle to an ASCII hexadecimal format to produce a component name, and appending the component name to a special name of a pseudo-directory of file handles of files in a file system.