Method and apparatus for file system virtualization, data storage system for file system virtualization, and file server for use in a data storage system

摘要

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing a virtualized file system enabling indirect access to a second file system in a data storage system comprising a plurality of client computers 100 and a second file system managing unit 410 for managing the second file system and enabling client access to the second file system, the method comprising interconnecting a first file system managing unit 310 between the plurality of client computers 100 and the second file system managing unit 410, creating a first directory /root in a first file system managed by the first file system managing unit 310, associating a first directory /root of the second file system with the first directory /root of the first file system, enabling on-demand virtualization of the second file system by the first file system managing unit 310 based on client requests received from the client computers 100 at the first file system managing unit 310 and based on the association between the first directory of the first file system and the first directory of the second file system, and enabling indirect client access to the second file system through the first file system.