Storage system architecture for striping data container content across volumes of a cluster

• US 20050192932A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kazar, Michael, Jernigan,, Richard P. IV, Sanzi,, Richard N. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A storage system architecture comprises one or more volumes distributed across a plurality of nodes interconnected as a cluster. The volumes are organized as a striped volume set (SVS) and configured to store content of data containers served by the cluster in response to multi-protocol data access requests issued by clients. Each node of the cluster includes (i) a storage server adapted to service a volume of the SVS and (ii) a multi-protocol engine adapted to redirect the data access requests to any storage server of the cluster. Notably, the content of each data container is apportioned among the volumes of the SVS to thereby improve the efficiency of storage service provided by the cluster.

Claims

1. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising of:

a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules; and

a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to the striped volume set.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the set of file striping rules comprises a stripe width.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of volumes is defined as a container attribute volume for each of the one or more data containers striped across the striped volume set.

7. A system for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the system comprising:

one or more network elements adapted to receive commands from a client directed to the striped volume set and further adapted to translate the received commands into a protocol for communication with one of one or more disk elements;

wherein each of the disk elements comprises a volume striping module adapted to process the protocol to implement operations directed to the striped volume set.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the striped volume set comprises of a plurality of volumes, each of the plurality of volumes being served by one of the one or more disk elements.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the striped volume set is defined by a set striping rules.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the set of striping rules comprises a stripe width.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm indicator, the striping algorithm indicator identifying a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume.

14. A method for striping one or more data containers across a striped volume set, the method comprising the steps of:

defining the striped volume set using a set of striping rules;

organizing a plurality of volumes organized into the striped volume set, the striped volume set defined by a set of striping rules; and

providing a volume striping module executing on one or more computers in a cluster, each of the computers serving one or more of the plurality of volumes, wherein the volume striping module implements commands directed to the striped volume set.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the set of striping rules comprises a stripe width.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the striping rules comprises a striping algorithm identifier that identifies a striping algorithm utilized with the striped volume set.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the striping rules comprises an ordered set of volumes.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a first of the ordered set of volumes comprises a meta-data volume.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of defining one of the plurality of volumes as a container attribute volume for each of the one or more data containers striped across the striped volume set.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of defining one of the plurality of volumes as a meta-data volume.