System, method and computer program product for a self-describing tape that maintains metadata of a non-tape file system

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for a self-describing tape that allow files stored on a tape according to a tape file system to be presented in a similar manner (e.g., to an operating system, to a network file system interface) by different instances of a second type of file system (e.g., a non-tape file system). This can include, for example, allowing a file system of the second type to consistently present files over a network file system interface as being available at the same directory path location, according to the same permissions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing a self-describing tape comprising:
 a media library, comprising:
 a set of drives, and 
 a set of media; and 
   an archive node appliance coupled to the media library and a set of hosts, the archive node appliance comprising a processor, a data store and a set of computer instructions executable on the processor to:
 maintain, for a file, a set of first file system metadata according to a first type of file system; 
 present, as located at a first location and according to the set of first file system metadata, the file using a first file system of the first type of file system; 
 cause the file to be stored at a second location on a tape of a media library using a second file system of a second type of file system, wherein the second location mirrors the first location; 
 cause at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata to be stored on the tape in addition to a set of second file system metadata stored by the second file system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata as extended attributes according to the second type of file system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein causing the second file system to store the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata comprises setting extended attributes in an index file for the LTFS tape when the index file is in memory. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the set of first file system metadata includes a user identifier of a user that accessed the file through the first file system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises writing a metadata file to the tape. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable to calculate a checksum of the metadata file and store the checksum in MAM data of a tape cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable to:
 determine that a second tape in a drive of the media library includes a second file stored by another archive node appliance;   determine a set of first file system metadata for the second file from information read from the second tape;   present the second file according to the first file system metadata for the second file.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the step of determining the set of first file system metadata for the second file comprises reading the set of first file system metadata from extended attributes of file system metadata for the second type of file system. 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions, the instructions for:
 maintaining, for a file, a set of first file system metadata according to a first type of file system;   presenting, as located at a first location and according to the set of first file system metadata, the file using a first file system of the first type of file system;   causing the file to be stored at a second location on a tape of a media library using a second file system that is a second type of file system, wherein the second location mirrors the first location;   causing at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata to be stored on the tape in addition to a set of second file system metadata stored by the second file system.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata as extended attributes according to the second type of file system. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein causing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata to be stored on the tape comprises setting extended attributes in an index file for the LTFS tape when the index file is in memory. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata includes a user identifier of a user that accessed the file through the first file system. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises writing a metadata file to the tape. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable for:
 determining that a second tape in a drive of the media library includes a second file stored by another system;   determining a set of first file system metadata for the second file from information read from the second tape;   presenting the second file according to the first file system metadata for the second file.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining the set of first file system metadata for the second file comprises reading the set of first file system metadata from extended attributes of file system metadata for the second type of file system. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 maintaining, for a file, a set of first file system metadata according to a first type of file system;   presenting, as located at a first location and according to the set of first file system metadata, the file using a first file system of the first type of file system;   causing the file to be stored at a second location on a tape of a media library using a file system that is a second type of file system, wherein the second location mirrors the first location;   causing at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata to be stored on the tape in addition to a set of second file system metadata stored by the second file system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata as extended attributes according to the second type of file system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein causing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata to be stored on the tape comprises setting extended attributes in an index file for the LTFS tape when the index file is in memory. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata includes a user identifier of a user that accessed the file through the first file system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein storing the at least a portion of the set of first file system metadata on the tape comprises writing a metadata file to the tape.