Effective handling of HSM migrated files and snapshots

1. A method for handling snapshots together with migrated files in a hierarchical storage management system, said method comprising:

managing files using a first-tier storage and a second-tier storage, wherein said files are organized in a file system in said first-tier storage, wherein said file system is a managed file system;

creating a snapshot of a portion of said files of said first-tier storage, and thereby creating a hidden directory in said file system;

deleting a file, wherein said file is a migrated file, wherein the migrated file is copied from the first-tier storage to the second-tier storage; and

moving a stub file relating to said file to be deleted in said first-tier storage to said hidden directory, wherein the stub file includes metadata attributes that provide a link to the migrated file located in the second-tier storage, wherein the link grants access to the migrated file.

2. The method according to claim 1 , also comprising:

determining a creation time of said migrated file to be deleted; and

determining snapshot versions in which said migrated file to be deleted is part of.

3. The method according to claim 2 , also comprising:

adding metadata to said moved stub file in a hidden folder, said metadata being indicative of said determined snapshots.

4. The method according to claim 3 , also comprising:

deleting a snapshot by:

determining stub files in said hidden directory, said stub files relating

to said snapshot to be deleted;

upon said snapshot not being said last one,

deleting said related metadata; and

deleting said snapshot.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said deleting a snapshot also comprises:

upon said snapshot being said last one,

deleting said related stub file in said hidden folder.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said creating said hidden directory is only performed for a first snapshot to be created.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said managed file system is an encrypted managed file system.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said managing said files is based on a data management application programming interface.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said snapshot is a software snapshot.

10. A system for handling snapshots together with migrated files in a hierarchical storage management, said system comprising:

a first-tier storage and a second-tier storage adapted for managing files, wherein said files are organized in a file system in said first-tier storage, wherein said file system is a managed file system;

a processing unit comprising:

a snapshot unit creating a snapshot of a portion of said files of said first-tier storage, and thereby creating a hidden directory in said file system;

a deletion module deleting a file in said first-tier storage, wherein said file is a migrated file, wherein the migrated file is copied from the first-tier storage to the second-tier storage; and

a movement unit moving a stub file relating to said file to be deleted in said first-tier storage to said hidden directory, wherein the stub file includes metadata attributes that provide a link to the migrated file located in the second-tier storage, wherein the link grants access to the migrated file.

11. The system according to claim 10 , also comprising:

a time determination unit adapted for determining a creation time of said migrated file to be deleted; and

a version determination unit adapted for determining snapshot versions in which said migrated file to be deleted is part of.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said snapshot unit is adapted for:

adding metadata to said moved stub file in a hidden folder, said metadata being indicative of said determined snapshots.

13. The system according to claim 12 , also comprising:

a snapshot deletion unit adapted for deleting a snapshot by:

determining stub files in said hidden directory, said stub files relating

to said snapshot to be deleted;

upon said snapshot not being said last one;

deleting said related metadata; and

deleting said snapshot.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said snapshot deletion unit, when deleting a snapshot, is also adapted for:

upon said snapshot being said last one;

deleting said related stub file in said hidden folder.

15. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said snapshot unit is also adapted for creating said hidden directory only for a first snapshot to be created.

16. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said managed file system is an encrypted managed file system.

17. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said managing said files is based on a data management application programming interface.

18. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said snapshot is a software snapshot.

19. A computer program product for handling snapshots together with migrated files in a hierarchical storage management, said computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, said program instructions being executable by one or more computing systems to cause said one or more computing systems to:

manage files using a first-tier storage and a second-tier storage, wherein said files are organized in a file system in said first-tier storage, wherein said file system is a managed file system;

creating a snapshot of a portion of said files of said first-tier storage, and thereby creating a hidden directory in said file system;

deleting a file in said first-tier storage, wherein said file is a migrated file, wherein the migrated file is copied from the first-tier storage to the second-tier storage; and

moving a stub file relating to said file to be deleted in said first-tier storage to said hidden directory, wherein the stub file includes metadata attributes that provide a link to the migrated file located in the second-tier storage, wherein the link grants access to the migrated file.