System and Method for Redundant Object Storage

• US 20110246639A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Feder, Seth, Marks, Kevin, Khosrowpour, Farzad
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2043 where the redundant components share a common memory address space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 : Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for redundant object storage are disclosed. A method may include storing at least two copies of each of a plurality of objects among a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to one another in order to provide redundancy of each of the plurality of objects in the event of a fault of one of the plurality of nodes. The method may also include monitoring access to each object to determine a frequency of access for each object. The method may additionally include redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects such that at least one particular node of the plurality of nodes includes copies of only objects accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold based on the determined frequency of access for each object. The method may further include placing the at least one particular node in a reduced-power mode.

Claims

1. A system for redundant object storage, comprising a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to one another and configured to:

collectively store at least two copies of each of a plurality of objects in order to provide redundancy of each of the plurality of objects in the event of a fault of one of the plurality of nodes;

monitor access to each object to determine a frequency of access for each object;

based on the determined frequency of access for each object, redistribute one or more of the copies of the objects such that at least one particular node of the plurality of nodes includes copies of only objects accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold; and

place the at least one particular node in a reduced-power mode.

2. A system according to claim 1, the plurality of nodes further configured to redistribute one or more of the copies of the objects in response to a triggering event.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a ratio of copies of objects stored on a specified node of the plurality of nodes accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold to copies of objects stored on the specified node accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold exceeds a predetermined ratio.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a remaining available capacity of a specified node of the plurality of nodes has decreased below a predetermined capacity threshold.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects includes redistributing copies of objects stored on the particular node and accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold to one or more nodes other than the particular node.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects includes redistributing copies of objects stored on one or more nodes other than the particular node and accessed at a frequency below the predetermined frequency threshold to the particular node.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more nodes comprise a Redundant Array of Independent Nodes (RAIN).

8. A method for redundant object storage, comprising:

storing at least two copies of each of a plurality of objects among a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to one another in order to provide redundancy of each of the plurality of objects in the event of a fault of one of the plurality of nodes;

monitoring access to each object to determine a frequency of access for each object;

based on the determined frequency of access for each object, redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects such that at least one particular node of the plurality of nodes includes copies of only objects accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold; and

placing the at least one particular node in a reduced-power mode.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects in response to a triggering event.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a ratio of copies of objects stored on a specified node of the plurality of nodes accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold to copies of objects stored on the specified node accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold exceeds a predetermined ratio.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a remaining available capacity of a specified node of the plurality of nodes has decreased below a predetermined capacity threshold.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects includes redistributing copies of objects stored on the particular node and accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold to one or more nodes other than the particular node.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects includes redistributing copies of objects stored on one or more nodes other than the particular node and accessed at a frequency below the predetermined frequency threshold to the particular node.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more nodes comprise a Redundant Array of Independent Nodes (RAIN).

15. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor and one or more other networked information handling systems; and

a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor and having stored thereon a program of instructions configured to, when executed by the processor;

manage redundancy of copies of objects stored on the information handling system, such that the information handling system and the one or more other networked information handling systems are configured to collectively store at least two copies of each of a plurality of objects in order to provide redundancy of each of the plurality of objects in the event of a fault of one of the information handling system and the one or more other networked information handling systems;

monitor access to each object having a copy stored on the information handling system to determine a frequency of access for each object having a copy stored on the information handling system;

based on the determined frequency of access for each object having a copy stored on the information handling system, redistribute one or more of the copies of the objects stored on the information handling system such that at the information handling system includes copies of only objects accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold; and

place the information handling system in a reduced-power mode.

16. An information handling system according to claim 15, the program of instruction further configured to redistribute one or more of the copies of the objects in response to a triggering event.

17. An information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a ratio of copies of objects stored on the information handling system accessed at a frequency below a predetermined frequency threshold to copies of objects stored on the information handling system accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold exceeds a predetermined ratio.

18. An information handling system according to claim 16, wherein the triggering event includes a determination that a remaining available capacity of the information handling system has decreased below a predetermined capacity threshold.

19. An information handling system according to claim 15, wherein redistributing one or more of the copies of the objects includes redistributing copies of objects stored on the information handling system and accessed at a frequency above the predetermined frequency threshold to one or more of the other networked information handling systems.

20. An information handling system according to claim 19, the program of instruction further configured to cause the information handling system to receive copies of objects stored on one or more of the other networked information handling systems and accessed at a frequency below the predetermined frequency threshold.