Method and apparatus for distributing large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network
First Claim
1. A method for distributing content of large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network node comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in a network node;
associating said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices;
storing said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations;
creating a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said file content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said file content is contiguous in said network node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Large payload files are selectively partitioned in blocks and the blocks distributed to a plurality of distribution stations at the edge of the network qualified to have the data. Each qualified station decides how much and what portion of the content to save locally, based on information such as network location and environment, usage, popularity, and other distribution criteria defined by the content provider. Different pieces of a large payload file may be available from different nodes, however, when a user requests access to the large payload file, for example, through an application server, a virtual file control system creates an illusion that the entire file is present at the connected node. However, since only selective portions of the large payload file may actually be resident at that node'"'"'s storage at the time of request, a cluster of distribution servers at the distribution station may download the non-resident portions of the file as the application server is servicing the user. The download may be in parallel and usually from the least congested nodes. New nodes added to the network learn from other nodes in the network what content they should have and download the required content, in a desired amount, onto their local storage devices from the nearest and least congested nodes without interrupting network operation. Each node manages its local storage and decides what content to prune based on information such as usage patterns.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for distributing content of large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network node comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in a network node;
associating said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices;
storing said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations;
creating a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said file content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said file content is contiguous in said network node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for distributing content of a large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network node comprising:
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obtaining a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in a network node;
associating said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices, wherein said associating comprises creating associations distributing said plurality of block files amongst said plurality of storage devices such that said plurality of storage devices are load balanced during input/output operations;
storing said associations in a file metadata in said plurality of storage devices, said associations comprising information for rebuilding said large payload file from said block files;
storing said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations;
creating a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said file content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said file content is contiguous in said network node.
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13. A computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium comprising computer readable code for distributing content of large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network node, said computer readable program code configured to;
obtain a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in a network node;
associate said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices;
store said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations;
create a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said file content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said file content is contiguous in said network node. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for distributing content of large payload file to a plurality of storage devices in a network node comprising:
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one or more first servers in a first server cluster of a network node obtaining a plurality of block files representing content of a large payload file for storage in a plurality of storage devices in said network node, said one or more first servers associating said plurality of block files with said plurality of storage devices and storing said plurality of block files in said plurality of storage devices based on said associations;
one or more second servers in a second server cluster of said network node creating a virtual file, using said associations, for presentation to a client requesting said file content, said virtual file providing an illusion to said client that said file content is contiguous in said network node. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification