Notification for a distributed file system

• US 20070282868A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omneon, Inc. (Harmonic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omneon Video Networks
• Inventors: Wanigasekara-Mohotti, Don Harschadath, Scheck, E. Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A method for notifying an application coupled to a distributed file system is described. A command for a file for a distributed file system is received. The distributed file system stores portions of files across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations. The command for the file is compared with a notification table of the distributed file system of the distributed file system. At least one application communicates with the distributed file system. The notification system notifies the corresponding application associated with the command with the notification system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a command for a file for a distributed file system, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations;

comparing the command for the file with a notification table of a notification system of the distributed file system; and

notifying an application associated with the command with the notification system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises:

receiving the command from a client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing the command on the file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application is registered in the notification table.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification table further comprises an application field, a command field, and a scope field.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the scope field includes a predefined portion of the plurality of distinct physical storage locations.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein comparing further comprises:

comparing the command for the file with the command field and the scope field of the notification table.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the application resides outside the distributed file system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying comprises:

sending a message to the application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein upon notifying the application, the application operates on the file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operation is selected from the group consisting of transcoding, scaling, and filtering.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a distributed file system storing portions of a file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations; and

a notification system module coupled to the distributed file system.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the distributed file system further comprises:

an Ethernet switch;

a metadata server coupled to the Ethernet switch; and

a plurality of content servers coupled to the metadata server, the plurality of content servers storing portions of files.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the notification system further comprises:

a notification table.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the notification table further comprises an application field, a command field, and a scope field.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a client communicating with the distributed file system; and

one or more applications communicating with the distributed file system,

wherein the one or more applications are registered in the notification table.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification system is configured to compare a command received from the client with the notification table and notify the corresponding application associated with the command.

18. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving a command for a file for a distributed file system, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations;

comparing the command for the file with a notification table of the distributed file system; and

notifying an application associated with the command.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving comprises:

receiving the command from a client.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

executing the command on the file.