Patent ID: 8190741
Filing Date: 2012-05-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for customizing a namespace in a storage network, comprising: receiving one or more NAS (Network Attached Storage) file handles or path names from one or more exported physical file shares, the NAS file handles or path names each indicative of a location of an object on an exported physical file share; receiving a plurality of configurations for creating a synthetic namespace from a network administrator or user, the plurality of configurations specifying an organization of, and criteria for selecting objects to be included in, the synthetic namespace; maintaining a file location table for a plurality of selected objects that are selected according to the received plurality of configurations for the synthetic namespace, the file location table comprising mappings between each selected object's NAS file handle or path name and a corresponding switch file handle that remains independent of any location changes for the selected object, wherein the synthetic namespace comprises a subset of the objects on the one or more exported physical file shares; and providing the switch file handles (or file handle) to a client, so that the selected objects are accessible by the client via the provided switch file handles, wherein providing the switch file handles (or file handle) to the client is associated with presenting to the client a customized namespace, the customized namespace comprising the synthetic namespace of the selected objects.