Patent ID: 6065010
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
In a computer system having a disk subsystem for accessing data stored on a disk media, a computer implemented method of sharing data of said disk media, said method comprising the steps of:a) receiving a user-selected data portion of a physical information file, said data portion to be shared by a virtual file and defined by an address offset value from the top of said physical information file, the size of said shared data portion and a user-selected file name for said shared data portion;b) generating a respective index file in said disk media for said shared data portion, step b) comprising the steps of:b1) writing said offset value, said size and said file name of said shared data portion into said respective index file; andb2) writing an indication of said physical information file into said respective index file;c) creating a plurality of respective index files by performing steps a) and b) for a plurality of respective shared data portions of said physical information file; andd) creating a respective virtual file for each respective index file by generating a respective file entry for each respective index file, step d) comprising the steps of:d1) translating said offset value of each respective index file into a physical location in said disk media of said shared data portion of each respective index file, wherein said disk subsystem records data contiguously within said physical information file and wherein step d1) comprises the steps of: determining a physical location of said top of said physical information file of said respective index file; and adding to said physical location of said top of said physical information file said offset value of said respective index file to obtain said physical location of said shared data portion of said respective index file; andd2) recording said physical location of said shared data portion and said file name of each respective index file into said respective file entry, wherein steps d1) and d2) are repeated for each respective index file.