System and method for managing small-size files in an aggregated file system

• US 20060200470A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Z-Force Communications, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lacapra, Francesco, Duvvuri, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

In an aggregated file system, a method of processing a user file retrieves its metadata and user data from a metadata server and applies operations to the user data in accordance with a file open request from a client. At the end of the process, the method stores the processed user data at a location in accordance with a predefined rule and updates the metadata in the metadata server to reference the processed user data at the location. In some embodiments, the predefined rule is to choose a location between the metadata server and a separate storage server in accordance with the size of the processed user data. If the size is still smaller than a predetermined threshold, the user data is stored in the metadata server. Otherwise, the user data is stored in the storage server.

Claims

1. A method of processing a user file, comprising:

retrieving metadata and user data associated with the user file from a metadata server;

processing the user data in accordance with a request from a client;

storing the processed user data at a location designated by a predefined rule; and

updating the metadata in the metadata server to reference the user data at the designated location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving includes retrieving the metadata and user data in response to a file open request associated with the user file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said storing and updating, notifying the client of a completion of processing the user data in response to the client request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata includes a size of the user data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein updating the metadata includes updating the size of the user data in accordance with the processed user data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the predefined rule is to:

store the processed user data in the metadata server if the size of the user data is smaller than a predefined threshold; and

store the processed user data in a separate storage server if the size of the user data is not smaller than the predefined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined threshold associated with the user file is different from the predefined threshold associated with a different user file.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the user data of the user file remains in the separate storage server irrespective of whether the size of the user data is smaller than the predefined threshold or not.

9. An aggregated file system, comprising:

at least one storage server;

at least one metadata server, the metadata server including at least one user file;

a file switch, including a processor for executing instructions for processing a user file in response to a request from a client, the instructions including;

instructions for retrieving metadata and user data associated with a user file from a metadata server;

instructions for processing the user data in accordance with the request;

instructions for storing the processed user data at a location designated by a predefined rule; and

instructions for updating the metadata in the metadata server to reference the user data at the designated location.

10. The aggregated file system of claim 9, wherein the retrieving instructions include instructions for retrieving the metadata and user data in response to a file open request associated with the user file.

11. The aggregated file system of claim 9, further comprising instructions for, prior to said storing, notifying the client of a completion of processing the user file in response to the client request.

12. The aggregated file system of claim 9, wherein the metadata includes a size of the user data.

13. The aggregated file system of claim 12, wherein the predefined rule is to:

store the processed user data in the metadata server if the size of the user data is smaller than a predefined threshold; and

store the processed user data in a separate storage server if the size of the user data is not smaller than the predefined threshold.

14. The aggregated file system of claim 13, wherein the predefined threshold of the user file is different from the predefined threshold of a different user file.

15. The aggregated file system of claim 13, wherein the user data of the user file remains in the separate storage server irrespective of whether the size of the user data is smaller than the predefined threshold or not.

16. A file switch for use in a computer network having one or more metadata servers, one or more storage servers and a plurality of client computers, the file switch comprising:

at least one processing unit for executing computer programs;

at least one interface for exchanging information with the metadata servers, the storage servers and the client computers, the information exchanged including a request from a client computer to process a user file;

instructions for retrieving metadata and user data associated with a user file from a metadata server;

instructions for processing the user data in accordance with the request;

instructions for storing the processed user data at a location designated by a predefined rule; and

instructions for updating the metadata in the metadata server to reference the user data at the designated location.

17. The file switch of claim 16, wherein the retrieving instructions include instructions for retrieving the metadata and user data in response to a file open request associated with the user file.

18. The file switch of claim 16, further comprising instructions for, prior to said storing, notifying the client computer of a completion of processing the user file in response to the request.

19. The file switch of claim 16, wherein the metadata includes a size of the user data.

20. The file switch of claim 19, wherein the predefined rule is to:

store the processed user data in the metadata server if the size of the user data is smaller than a predefined threshold; and

store the processed user data in a separate storage server if the size of the user data is not smaller than the predefined threshold.

21. The file switch of claim 20, wherein the predefined threshold of the user file is different from the predefined threshold of a different user file.

22. The file switch of claim 20, wherein the user data of the user file remains in the separate storage server irrespective of whether the size of the user data is smaller than the predefined threshold or not.