RELOCATION OF METADATA SERVER WITH OUTSTANDING DMAPI REQUESTS

• US 20120059854A1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics International Corporation (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Wehrman, Geoffrey, Roehrich, Dean
• Granted Patent: US 9,275,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/782
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A cluster of computer system nodes share direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network using a cluster filesystem and operating system implementing DMAPI. Threads executing on a metadata client know when a DMAPI event is required, and generate the DMAPI event on their own initiative when necessary. A metadata server maintains DMAPI queues. If the metadata server relocates to another host, the DMAPI events in the DMAPI queues are moved transparently to users.

Claims

1. A method of executing one or more operations on virtual metadata, comprising:

initiating input/output operations;

locking virtual metadata associated with the input/output operations;

performing the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

identifying that the virtual metadata is to be relocated to a new server;

releasing a lock on the virtual metadata is in response to relocation during execution of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

halting performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

performing relocation of the virtual metadata to the new server.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

locking the virtual metadata upon completing relocation to the new server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

resuming performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

unlocking the virtual metadata upon completion of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein certain input/output operations are not performed as a result of the relocation of the virtual metadata.

8. A computer readable storage medium including code for executing one or more operations on virtual metadata, the code operable to:

initiate input/output operations;

lock virtual metadata associated with the input/output operations;

perform the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

identify that the virtual metadata is to be relocated to a new server;

release a lock on the virtual metadata in response to relocation during execution of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the code further operable to:

halt performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the code further operable to:

perform relocation of the virtual metadata to the new server.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, the code further operable to:

lock the virtual metadata upon completing relocation to the new server.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the code further operable to:

resume performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, the code further operable to:

unlock the virtual metadata upon completion of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein certain input/output operations are not performed as a result of the relocation of the virtual metadata.

15. A system for executing one or more operations on virtual metadata, comprising:

storage devices storing at least one file;

a storage area network coupled to said storage devices;

at least one metadata server node coupled to said storage area network; and

at least one metadata client node;

wherein the metadata server node is operable to;

initiate input/output operations;

lock virtual metadata associated with the input/output operations;

perform the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

identify that the virtual metadata is to be relocated to a new server;

release a lock on the virtual metadata in response to relocation during execution of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.

16. The system of claim 15, the metadata data server further operable to:

halt performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata;

17. The system of claim of 16, the metadata server further operable to:

perform relocation of the virtual metadata to the new server.

18. The system of claim 16, the metadata server further operable to:

lock the virtual metadata upon completing relocation to the new server.

19. The system of claim 18, the metadata server further operable to:

resume performance of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata, wherein certain input/output operations are not performed as a result of the relocation of the virtual metadata.

20. The system of claim 19, the metadata server further operable to:

unlock the virtual metadata upon completion of the input/output operations on the virtual metadata.