DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK FILE SYSTEM DIRECTORY

• US 20110225209A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: VOLVOVSKI, ILYA, BAPTIST, ANDREW, DHUSE, GREG
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0646 Configuration or reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/125 characterised by the use of retention policies retention policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• 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 67/1097 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 dispersed storage device manages a file system directory of a dispersed storage network by receiving a data object to be stored and a user file name of the data object, calculating a data compression function of the data object, creating a file identifier based on a result of the data compression function, creating a source name for the data object using the file identifier and linking the user file name to the source name in the file system directory.

Claims

1. A dispersed storage device for use within a dispersed storage network, comprising:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to;

receive, via the interface, a data object to be stored and a user file name of the data object;

calculate a data compression function of the data object;

create a file identifier based on a result of the data compression function;

create a source name for the data object using the file identifier; and

link the user file name to the source name in a file system directory.

2. The dispersed storage device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further operable to increment a reference counter for the source name in the file system directory for the data object.

3. The dispersed storage device of claim 2, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

receive, via the interface, the data object to be stored and a new user file name of the data object;

increment the reference counter for the source name of the data object; and

link the new user file name to the source name in the file system directory.

4. The dispersed storage device of claim 3, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

receive, via the interface, a delete data object request for the new user file name;

remove the new user file name from the file system directory; and

decrement the reference counter for the source name of the data object.

5. The dispersed storage device of claim 4, wherein the processing module is further operable to:

segment the data object into data segments;

slice each of the data segments into respective error coded data slices; and

output, via the interface, the error coded data slices to corresponding dispersed storage units for storage therein.

6. The dispersed storage device of claim 5, wherein the processing module is further operable to generate and transmit, via the interface, a delete command to the dispersed storage units to delete the data slices of the data object stored therein when the reference counter reaches zero.

7. The dispersed storage device of claim 5, wherein a number of the data slices within each of the data segments indicating a number of pillars of the data object and the processing module is further operable to output the data slices to the dispersed storage units such that each of the dispersed storage units stores no more than one of the pillars.

8. The dispersed storage device of claim 1, wherein a byte width of the result of the data compression function is greater than a byte width of the file identifier.

9. The dispersed storage device of claim 8, wherein the processing module is further operable to truncate the result of the data compression function to match the byte width of the file identifier.

10. The dispersed storage device of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further operable to receive, via the interface, a user identifier associated with the user file name and the data object.

11. The dispersed storage device of claim 10, wherein the processing module is further operable to determine a vault identifier of a vault from the user identifier, the vault being associated with at least one user of the dispersed storage network.

12. The dispersed storage device of claim 11, wherein the processing module is further operable to determine a vault generation of the vault from the user identifier.

13. The dispersed storage device of claim 12, wherein the processing module is further operable to include the vault identifier, the vault generation and the file identifier in the source name.

14. A method for managing a file system directory of a dispersed storage network, comprising:

receiving a data object to be stored and a user file name of the data object;

calculating a data compression function of the data object;

creating a file identifier based on a result of the data compression function;

creating a source name for the data object using the file identifier; and

linking the user file name to the source name in a file system directory.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

incrementing a reference counter for the source name in the file system directory for the data object.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the data object to be stored and a new user file name of the data object;

incrementing the reference counter for the source name of the data object; and

linking the new user file name to the source name in the file system directory.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a delete data object request for the new user file name;

removing the new user file name from the file system directory; and

decrementing the reference counter for the source name of the data object.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a byte width of the result of the data compression function is greater than a byte width of the file identifier and further comprising:

truncating the result of the data compression function to match the byte width of the file identifier.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a user identifier associated with the user file name and the data object;

determining a vault identifier of a vault from the user identifier, the vault being associated with at least one user of the dispersed storage network; and

determining a vault generation of the vault from the user identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the creating the source name further comprises:

including the vault identifier, the vault generation and the file identifier in the source name.