Dynamic migration within a network storage system

• US 10,298,675 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ryder, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Jakovac, Ryan J
• Application Number:
  US14/825,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4856 resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration G06F9/5088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1074 for supporting data block transmission mechanisms file transfer H04L67/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

This is directed to providing access to content stored on a personal cloud. In particular, a personal cloud can be constructed by sharing the resources of several devices owned by a user and by other users trusted by the user. To add a device to a personal cloud, the device can identify its owner to a librarian, which can provide addressing information for other devices forming a cloud on behalf of the owner. The new device can establish a communications path with the other devices, and configure itself based on the services or data required for the personal cloud (e.g., as determined from communications with the other devices). Services operating on individual devices of the personal cloud can migrate dynamically and automatically to ensure that a user can remove a device from the personal cloud at will without adversely affecting the operation of the personal cloud.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device that implements a cloud management service, the method comprising:

establishing a connection with a client device;

receiving an instruction from the client device to establish a personal cloud network between the client device and at least one additional client device to form a plurality of client devices, wherein each client device of the plurality of client devices shares at least a portion of respective available resources that can be provided by the client device to the personal cloud network for implementing a set of services;

dynamically assigning tasks associated with the set of services to the plurality of client devices;

detecting a condition in which the plurality of client devices is incapable of carrying out at least one task associated with the set of services, wherein the at least one task is generated by a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

causing the particular client device to display a prompt that indicates additional available resources are needed to enable the at least one task to be carried out; and

in response to detecting an addition of an auxiliary client device that (i) is a member of the personal cloud network, and (ii) previously authorized the personal cloud network to utilize resources of the auxiliary client device that enable the at least one task to be carried out;

causing the particular client device to cease displaying the prompt, and

causing the at least one task to the auxiliary client device to carry out the at least one task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of services includes at least one of:

cataloging services;

processing services;

parallel processing services;

data storage services;

redundant storage services;

or

backup services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the addition of the auxiliary client device is detected in response to the auxiliary client device rejoining a network shared by the plurality of client devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt includes a recommendation to add at least one client device to the personal cloud network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the recommendation includes the particular client device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the prompt includes a description of the condition.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the prompt identifies at least one client device of the plurality of client devices capable of carrying out the at least one task.

6. A cloud management system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the cloud management system to;

establish a connection with a client device;

receive an instruction from the client device to establish a personal cloud network between the client device and at least one additional client device to form a plurality of client devices, wherein each client device of the plurality of client devices shares at least a portion of respective available resources that can be provided by the client device to the personal cloud network for implementing a set of services;

dynamically assign tasks associated with the set of services to the plurality of client devices;

detect a condition in which the plurality of client devices is incapable of carrying out at least one task associated with the set of services, wherein the at least one task is generated by a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

cause the particular client device to display a prompt that indicates additional available resources are needed to enable the at least one task to be carried out; and

in response to detecting an addition of an auxiliary client device that (i) is a member of the personal cloud network, and (ii) previously authorized the personal cloud network to utilize resources of the auxiliary client device that enable the at least one task to be carried out;

cause the particular client device to cease displaying the prompt, and

cause the at least one task to the auxiliary client device to carry out the at least one task.

7. The cloud management system of claim 6, wherein the set of services includes at least one of:

cataloging services;

processing services;

parallel processing services;

data storage services;

redundant storage services;

or

backup services.

8. The cloud management system of claim 6, wherein the addition of the auxiliary client device is detected in response to the auxiliary client device rejoining a network shared by the plurality of client devices.

9. The cloud management system of claim 6, wherein the prompt includes a recommendation to add at least one client device to the personal cloud network.

10. The cloud management system of claim 9, wherein the recommendation includes the particular client device.

18. The cloud management system of claim 6, wherein the prompt includes a description of the condition.

19. The cloud management system of claim 18, wherein the prompt identifies at least one client device of the plurality of client devices capable of carrying out the at least one task.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a cloud management system, cause the cloud management system to:

establish a connection with a client device;

receive an instruction from the client device to establish a personal cloud network between the client device and at least one additional client device to form a plurality of client devices, wherein each client device of the plurality of client devices shares at least a portion of respective available resources that can be provided by the client device to the personal cloud network for implementing a set of services;

dynamically assign tasks associated with the set of services to the plurality of client devices;

detecting a condition in which the plurality of client devices is incapable of carrying out at least one task associated with the set of services, wherein the at least one task is generated by a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

causing the particular client device to display a prompt that indicates additional available resources are needed to enable the at least one task to be carried out; and

in response to detecting an addition of an auxiliary client device that (i) is a member of the personal cloud network, and (ii) previously authorized the personal cloud network to utilize resources of the auxiliary client device that enable the at least one task to be carried out;

causing the particular client device to cease displaying the prompt, and

causing the at least one task to the auxiliary client device to carry out the at least one task.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of services includes at least one of:

cataloging services;

processing services;

parallel processing services;

data storage services;

redundant storage services;

or

backup services.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the addition of the auxiliary client device is detected in response to the auxiliary client device rejoining a network shared by the plurality of client devices.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the prompt includes a recommendation to add at least one client device to the personal cloud network.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the recommendation includes the particular client device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the prompt includes a description of the condition.