Network accessed storage files system query/set proxy service for a storage virtualization system

• US 20090089344A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Love, Philip, Simon, Dylan, Brown, Ronald, Bankier, John Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0667 at data level, e.g. file, record or object virtualisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A system and method provides for querying and setting file attributes between Network File System and Common Internet File System network attached storage systems. Aspects of the present invention may be performed by a storage virtualization system that acts as an intermediary between one or more network attached storage systems. By querying and setting file attributes, files may be migrated between network attached storage systems while keeping the file attributes and primary location of the file contents intact. In addition, the present invention provides an additional aspect of ensuring that file names of multi-protocol files are compatible across every protocol.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a network having a storage virtualization system, a first NAS system and a second NAS system, wherein the storage virtualization system, the first NAS system, and the second NAS system use a first file system protocol, and wherein the first NAS system stores at least one data file and an associated file attribute not recognized by the first file system protocol;

executing, by the storage virtualization system, a query using a second file system protocol that recognizes the file attribute of the at least one data file; and

if the at least one data file has a name not permitted by the second file system protocol, then creating a hard link to the at least one data file, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the first and second file system protocols, and migrating, by the storage virtualization system using the first file system protocol, the at least one data file and the associated file attribute from the first NAS system to the second NAS system;

if the at least one data file has a name permitted by the second file system protocol, then migrating, by the storage virtualization system using the first file system protocol, the at least one data file and the associated file attribute from the first NAS system to the second NAS system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard link name is created by a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the NFS protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the CIFS protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the NFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the CIFS protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the CIFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the NFS protocol.

7. A method comprising:

providing a network having a storage virtualization system, a first NAS system and a second NAS system, wherein the storage virtualization system, the first NAS system, and the second NAS system use a first file system protocol, and wherein the first NAS system stores at least one data file and an associated file attribute not recognized by the first file system protocol;

executing, by the storage virtualization system, a query using a second file system protocol that recognizes the file attribute of the at least one data file;

creating a hard link to the at least one data file, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the first and second file system protocols; and

migrating, by the storage virtualization system using the first file system protocol, the at least one data file and the associated file attribute from the first NAS system to the second NAS system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hard link name is created by a user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the NFS protocol.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the CIFS protocol.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the NFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the CIFS protocol.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the CIFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the NFS protocol.

13. A system comprising:

a first NAS system and a second NAS system connected to a network, the first NAS system, and the second NAS system use a first file system protocol;

a storage virtualization system connected to the network, wherein the storage virtualization system includes computer code that detects on the first NAS system a file attribute associated with a data file recognized by a second file system protocol, creates a hard link to the data file, and migrates the data file and file attribute to the second NAS system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the NFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the CIFS protocol.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the storage virtualization system, first NAS system and second NAS system use the CIFS protocol, and the file attribute and the query are recognized by the NFS protocol.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the hard link name is created by a user.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the hard link name is is permitted by the NFS protocol.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the hard link name is permitted by the CIFS protocol.