Fixed content storage within a partitioned content platform, with replication

• US 20110106757A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Vantara, LLC (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Data Systems Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Isherwood, Benjamin J., Pickney, David B., McDonald, Matthew M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/617
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning

Abstract

A content platform (or “cluster”) that comprises a redundant array of independent nodes is logically partitioned. Using a web-based interface, an administrator defines one or more “tenants” within the cluster, wherein a tenant has a set of attributes: namespaces, administrative accounts, data access accounts, and a permission mask. A namespace is a logical partition of the cluster that serves as a collection of objects typically associated with at least one defined application. Each namespace has a private file system with respect to other namespaces. This approach enables a user to segregate cluster data into logical partitions. According to this disclosure, tenant information, including all associated namespaces, in the cluster (the “source cluster”) is replicated to at least one target cluster over a replication link. Preferably, replication is available for multiple tenants in the source cluster, and a replication algorithm ensures that a particular tenant can be added to the replication link without stalling the progress of other tenants.

Claims

1. A storage method operating across a set of distributed locations, wherein at each location a redundant array of independent nodes are networked together to provide a cluster, comprising:

logically partitioning a first cluster at a first location into a set of one or more tenants, wherein at least one tenant has associated therewith one or more namespaces, wherein a namespace comprises a collection of data objects;

configuring a link between the first cluster and a second cluster; and

replicating over the link information associated with a first tenant.

2. The storage method as described in claim 1 wherein the information associated with the first tenant includes one or more associated namespaces and object data associated with those namespaces.

3. The storage method as described in claim 2 wherein the information associated with the first tenant also includes tenant administrative and configuration information.

4. The storage method as described in claim 1 further including the step of:

upon a given occurrence associated with the first cluster, redirecting clients of the first cluster to the second cluster.

5. The storage method as described in claim 1 further including providing access to the information in the second cluster on a read-only basis.

6. The storage method as described in claim 1 further including adding a second tenant to the link.

7. The storage method as described in claim 6 further including replicating over the link information associated with the second tenant without impairing a replication metric associated with replication of information associated with the first tenant.

8. A storage method operating across a set of distributed locations, wherein at each location a redundant array of independent nodes are networked together to provide a cluster, comprising:

logically partitioning a first cluster at a first location into a set of one or more tenants, wherein a first tenant has associated therewith one or more namespaces, wherein a namespace comprises a collection of data objects;

configuring a link between the first cluster and each of second and third clusters; and

replicating over each link information associated with a first tenant.

9. The storage method as described in claim 8 wherein a link between the first cluster and the second cluster has a given replication link characteristic that differs from the characteristic of the link between the first cluster and the third cluster.

10. The storage method as described in claim 9 wherein the given replication link characteristic is a quality-of-service (QoS) or a function implemented across the link.

11. The storage method as described in claim 8 wherein the information associated with the first tenant includes one or more associated namespaces and object data associated with those namespaces.

12. The storage method as described in claim 11 wherein the information associated with the first tenant also includes tenant administrative and configuration information.

13. The storage method as described in claim 8 further including the step of:

upon a given occurrence associated with the first cluster, redirecting clients of the first cluster to the second cluster or the third cluster.

14. The storage method as described in claim 8 further including providing access to the information in the second cluster or the third cluster on a read-only basis.

15. The storage method as described in claim 8 further including adding a second tenant to the link.

16. The storage method as described in claim 15 further including replicating over the link information associated with the second tenant without impairing a replication metric associated with replication of information associated with the first tenant.