Patent ID: 7987217

Claim:
A method comprising: a file server providing access to at least: (a) a set of files logically stored in a database that is managed by a database server and (b) file metadata, corresponding to the set of files, also stored in the same database; wherein the file server provides said access, in part, by receiving requests for files from a plurality of entities, retrieving the files from the database via the database server, and returning the files to the plurality of entities in response to the requests; wherein the file server is separate from the database server; the file server maintaining, at a location that is remote relative to both the database server and the database, at least one or more caches; wherein the file server utilizes the one or more caches to cache said file metadata but not said set of files; receiving, at the file server, a particular request from a particular entity to perform an operation, wherein the operation requires performance of a particular file operation with respect to a file that is stored in the database; wherein performance of the particular file operation requires obtaining particular file metadata for the file that is stored in the database; in response to the particular request, prior to issuing any database command to the database server for obtaining said particular file metadata for the particular file operation, the file server looking for an entry associated with said file in said one or more caches, that is caching said particular file metadata; responsive to said entry being in the one or more caches, the file server performing the particular file operation based on the particular file metadata as cached in said entry, without issuing any database command to the database server for obtaining the particular file metadata for the particular file operation; responsive to said entry not being in said one or more caches, the file server: issuing one or more database commands to the database server that cause the database server to retrieve from said database said particular file metadata; and performing the particular file operation based on the particular file metadata as retrieved from the database by the database server; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.