Clientless software defined grid
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- configuring multiple servers coupled to a network as a software defined storage (SDS) grid, the SDS grid requiring a client application to access the SDS grid;
wherein the client application stores a grid data map of a data distribution among the multiple servers of the SDS grid;
wherein the grid data map stores a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries including a data identifier and a server identifier;
receiving, by a first given server of the SDS grid from a host computer not executing the client application, an input/output (I/O) request;
wherein the host computer does not have access to the grid data map of the data distribution among the SDS grid such that the host computer is unaware of a particular location within one or more of the multiple servers data associated with the I/O request resides upon; and
upon identifying, by the first given server, that a second given server of the SDS grid is configured to process the I/O request, forwarding, by the first given server, the I/O request to the second given server;
wherein the host computer communicates with the first given server using a standard storage access protocol thereby not necessitating a specialized kernel driver nor the client application to access the SDS grid; and
wherein identifying the second given server comprises performing, by the first given server, a calculation comprising an algorithm that uses a Logical Block Address (LBA) received with the I/O request such that the LBA is used as an input parameter to the calculation, and wherein a result of the calculation, when used in conjunction with the grid data map, indicates the second given server by locating a given one of the plurality of entries in the grid data map which matches the data identifier according to the result of the calculation and retrieving the server identifier associated with the second given server.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include configuring multiple servers coupled to a network as a software defined storage (SDS) grid. A first given server receives, via the network, an input/output (I/O) request from a host computer, and determines a location of data associated with the I/O request. In some embodiments, each of the servers maintains a local grid data map that store locations for all data managed by the SDS grid. Upon identifying, in its respective local grid data map, that a second given server is configured to process the I/O request, the first given server forwards the I/O request to the second given server for processing, and upon receiving a result of the I/O request from the second given server, the first given server conveys the result of the I/O request to the host computer.
72 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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configuring multiple servers coupled to a network as a software defined storage (SDS) grid, the SDS grid requiring a client application to access the SDS grid;
wherein the client application stores a grid data map of a data distribution among the multiple servers of the SDS grid;
wherein the grid data map stores a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries including a data identifier and a server identifier;receiving, by a first given server of the SDS grid from a host computer not executing the client application, an input/output (I/O) request;
wherein the host computer does not have access to the grid data map of the data distribution among the SDS grid such that the host computer is unaware of a particular location within one or more of the multiple servers data associated with the I/O request resides upon; andupon identifying, by the first given server, that a second given server of the SDS grid is configured to process the I/O request, forwarding, by the first given server, the I/O request to the second given server;
wherein the host computer communicates with the first given server using a standard storage access protocol thereby not necessitating a specialized kernel driver nor the client application to access the SDS grid; and
wherein identifying the second given server comprises performing, by the first given server, a calculation comprising an algorithm that uses a Logical Block Address (LBA) received with the I/O request such that the LBA is used as an input parameter to the calculation, and wherein a result of the calculation, when used in conjunction with the grid data map, indicates the second given server by locating a given one of the plurality of entries in the grid data map which matches the data identifier according to the result of the calculation and retrieving the server identifier associated with the second given server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A data facility, comprising:
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a network; one or more host computers coupled to the network; and multiple servers coupled to the network, and configured as a software defined storage (SDS) grid, the SDS grid requiring a client application to access the SDS grid;
wherein the client application stores a grid data map of a data distribution among the multiple servers of the SDS grid;
wherein the grid data map stores a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries including a data identifier and a server identifier, each of the servers comprising;multiple storage devices, and a processor configured; to receive at a receiving server, from a given host computer not executing the client application, an input/output (I/O) request, wherein the host computer does not have access to the grid data map of the data distribution among the SDS grid such that the host computer is unaware of a particular location within one or more of the multiple servers data associated with the I/O request resides upon, and upon identifying that a given server, different from the receiving server is configured to process the I/O request, to forward the I/O request to the given server;
wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the host computer via a standard storage access protocol thereby not necessitating a specialized kernel driver nor the client application to access the SDS grid; and
wherein identifying the second given server comprises performing, by the first given server, a calculation comprising an algorithm that uses a Logical Block Address (LBA) received with the I/O request such that the LBA is used as an input parameter to the calculation, and wherein a result of the calculation, when used in conjunction with the grid data map, indicates the second given server by locating a given one of the plurality of entries in the grid data map which matches the data identifier according to the result of the calculation and retrieving the server identifier associated with the second given server. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising; computer readable program code configured to arrange multiple servers coupled to a network as a software defined storage (SDS) grid, the SDS grid requiring a client application to access the SDS grid;
wherein the client application stores a grid data map of a data distribution among the multiple servers of the SDS grid;
wherein the grid data map stores a plurality of entries, each of the plurality of entries including a data identifier and a server identifier;computer readable program code executing on a first given server and configured to receive, from a host computer not executing the client application, an input/output (I/O) request;
wherein the host computer does not have access to the grid data map of the data distribution among the SDS grid such that the host computer is unaware of a particular location within one or more of the multiple servers data associated with the I/O request resides upon; andcomputer readable program code executing on the first given server and configured, upon identifying that a second given server is arranged to process the I/O request, to forward the I/O request to the second server;
wherein the host computer communicates with the first given server using a standard storage access protocol thereby not necessitating a specialized kernel driver nor the client application to access the SDS grid; and
wherein identifying the second given server comprises performing, by the first given server, a calculation comprising an algorithm that uses a Logical Block Address (LBA) received with the I/O request such that the LBA is used as an input parameter to the calculation, and wherein a result of the calculation, when used in conjunction with the grid data map, indicates the second given server by locating a given one of the plurality of entries in the grid data map which matches the data identifier according to the result of the calculation and retrieving the server identifier associated with the second given server.- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification