Repository Migration via Hard Link Network Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Storing multiple copies of a large code base for multiple users is inefficient due to high storage requirements and difficulty in performing structural changes to the system.
Innovation Solution
A system for efficient repository migration and storage that groups related repositories as a network, allowing data to be stored in a shared network repository, reducing duplication and enabling efficient data synchronization and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple copies of the code base are stored for each user, then each user can work independently on the code base, but storage requirements increase tremendously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple user repositories into a shared network repository structure where common code is stored once and referenced by multiple users through hard links. This combines the independence of individual user repositories with the efficiency of shared storage, allowing users to work independently while eliminating redundant data storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hard link copying instead of traditional file copying to create repository references. Hard links create multiple directory entries that point to the same underlying data blocks on disk, providing the appearance of separate copies while actually sharing the same physical storage, thus reducing storage requirements while maintaining user independence.
2Quantity of substance
If the storage system structure is changed to reduce storage requirements, then storage efficiency improves, but structural changes become difficult to perform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic repository structure where the system can automatically convert between traditional independent repository structures and shared network repository structures. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt its storage architecture based on usage patterns and requirements, making structural changes feasible rather than difficult.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic migration and optimization of repository structures without requiring manual intervention. The patent includes automated processes that identify opportunities for storage optimization and execute the necessary structural changes, making the system self-optimizing and reducing the difficulty of performing structural changes.
3Quantity of substance
If data is stored in a shared network repository with hard links, then storage needs are reduced by eliminating duplication, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network repository layer as an intermediary between users and the underlying storage system. This intermediary manages the hard links and shared data structures, abstracting the complexity from users while providing efficient storage. The network repository acts as a mediator that handles the complexity of shared storage management internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared network repository structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides efficient storage by eliminating duplication, maintains user independence through hard links, enables collaborative work through shared access, and supports automated migration from traditional structures. This multi-functionality justifies the increased system complexity by delivering multiple benefits from a single architectural change.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for efficient repository migration and storage includes an interface and a processor to migrate a repository from a standard repository system in which a standard repository data is replicated in multiple repositories to an efficient repository system in which related repositories are grouped together as a network of repositories and an efficient repository data is stored in a shared network repository.