Concept

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1. Abstract

The aim of this project is to implement a solution that provides file-level host-based virtualization for better aggregation of content/information based on its semantics and properties. File-system organization today very closely mirrors storage paradigms rather than user-access paradigms and semantic grouping. All file-system hierarchies are containers that are expressed based on their physical presence (a separate drive letter on Windows, or a particular mount point based on the volume in Unix).

We wish to implement a solution that will allow users to organize their files based on their convenience. We define this convenience in the following forms:

 

  • The ability to organize the namespace based on certain attribute properties (file-system metadata virtualization).

Ex Directory Listing as an output of high level relational query based on file attributes.

 

  • The ability to de-link position of a file in the hierarchy from its actual storage (file metadata virtualization)

Ex Automatically listing the files with the proper attributes in the respective directories. Create & forget file system now puts your MP3 file in the right folder no matter where they are stored on the disk.

 

  • The ability to create and manipulate namespaces using well-known metaphors (XML schema descriptions and schema editors)

Ex. Define the directory structure with directory query as an XML file. Mount multiple such directory structures (virtualization). There by allowing multiple organizational views for the same set of files.

 

  • The ability to continue using the standard metaphors for manipulation and access to information (file-system kernel APIs), thus maintaining current large body of applications unbroken).

Ex. Make all this features available as a standard file system so existing apps wont fail

 

Currently, no solution exists that allow users to organize their files using convenient semantic groupings and continue access using standard applications. This solution is unique in the sense that it allows flexible namespace construction using XML. Microsofts WinFS http://msdn.microsoft.com/Longhorn/understanding/pillars/WinFS/default.aspx a promising new file system / Storage architecture is closely modeled along the same idea and is expected to release in late 2004. Our project does the same for Linux.

 

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