Method For Data Retrieval From A Distributed Data Storage System

• US 20130060804A1
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compuverde AB (Pure Storage, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ILT Innovations AB
• Inventors: Bernbo, Stefan, Melander, Christian, Persson, Roger, Petersson, Gustav
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

There is provided a method and server for retrieving data from a data storage system including a plurality of storage nodes. The method may include sending a multicast message to at least a subset of the storage nodes. The multicast message may include a request for the subset of storage nodes to send the data. The multicast message may further include a data identifier, indicating the data to be retrieved. Moreover, the method may include receiving data from a first storage node of the subset of storage nodes. The data received from the first storage node may correspond to the requested data. At least the act of sending a multicast message or the act of receiving data from the first storage node may be performed on a condition that an estimated size of the data is less than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving data from a data storage system, the data storage system including a plurality of storage nodes, the method comprising:

sending a multicast message to the plurality of storage nodes requesting data on condition that an estimated size of the data is less than a predetermined value, the multicast message including a data identifier that identifies the requested data; and

receiving the requested data from a first storage node of said plurality of storage nodes.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising analyzing the data received from the first storage node to determine if the data fulfills a set of criteria.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising discarding the data received from the first storage node based on the analysis.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein sending the multicast message to the plurality of storage node is repeated based on the analysis.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving the requested data from a second storage node of said plurality of storage nodes.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising analyzing the data received from the first storage node to determine if the data received from the first storage node fulfills a set of criteria and analyzing the data received from the second storage node to determine if the data received from the second storage node fulfills the set of criteria.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising comparing the data received from the first storage node to the data received from the second storage node using a checksum.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising discarding at least one of the data received from the first storage node or the data received from the second storage node based on the checksum.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein sending the multicast message is repeated based on the checksum.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether a capability of the first storage node fulfills a set of characteristics.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the data received from the first storage node or the data received from the second storage node comprises a collection object including a reference at least one of another collection object or a data file that is not a collection object.

12. A method for sending data from a data storage system, the data storage system including a plurality of storage nodes, the method comprising:

receiving a broadcast message from a server requesting data;

determining a size of the data; and

sending one of a reference to the requested data or the requested data to the sever, wherein the requested data is sent on condition that a size of the requested data is less than or equal to a predetermined value and the reference to the requested data is sent on condition that the size of the requested data exceeds the predetermined value.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein one of the reference to the requested data or the requested data is sent to the server via a unicast communication.

14. A server for retrieving data from a data storage system, the data storage system including a plurality of storage nodes, the server comprising:

a transmitter configured to send a multicast message to a plurality of storage nodes requesting data on condition that an estimated size of the data is less than a predetermined value, the multicast message including a data identifier that identifies the requested data; and

a receiver configured to receive the requested data from a first storage node of said plurality of storage nodes.

15. The server according to claim 14, further comprising a processor configured to analyze the data received from the first storage node to determine if the data fulfills a set of criteria.

16. The server according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to discard the data received from the first storage node based on the analysis.

17. The server according to claim 16, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the multicast message to the plurality of storage node again based on the analysis.

18. The server according to claim 14, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the requested data from a second storage node of said plurality of storage nodes.

19. The server according to claim 18, further comprising a processor configured to analyze the data received from the first storage node to determine if the data received from the first storage node fulfills a set of criteria and analyze the data received from the second storage node to determine if the data received from the second storage node fulfills the set of criteria.

20. The server according to claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to discard at least one of the data received from the first storage node or the data received from the second storage node based on the analysis.