METHODS FOR MANAGING CONTENT STORED IN CLOUD-BASED STORAGES

• US 20130227047A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm North America (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm North America (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Dolce, James J., Bloom, Jeffery R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,740,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/192 Implementing virtual folder structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A server receives over a network from a client a request for accessing files stored in a plurality of heterogeneous storage devices hosted by a plurality of storage providers over the network, including a first storage device of a first storage provider and a second storage device of a second storage provider. In response, the server accesses, on behalf of a user of the client, the first storage device and the second storage device to retrieve information concerning the files. The server transmits data to the client over the network, the data representing a logical file system view of the files without exposing actual storage locations of the files stored in the first and second storage devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing content stored in a heterogeneous collection of storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server over a network from a client, a request for accessing files stored in a plurality of heterogeneous storage devices hosted by a plurality of storage providers over the network, including a first storage device of a first storage provider and a second storage device of a second storage provider;

accessing, on behalf of a user of the client, the first storage device and the second storage device to retrieve information concerning the files; and

transmitting data to the client over the network, the data representing a logical file system view of the files without exposing actual storage locations of the files stored in the first and second storage devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage device and the second storage device are accessed using first and second credentials that were cached within the server previously, and wherein accessing the first and second storage devices is performed without having to prompt the user for providing the first and second credentials.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining within the server for the user a file mapping table logically mapping the logical file system view with physical files stored in the first and second storage devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a request for storing a new file from the client, determining storage spaces of at least one of a first user account of the first storage device and a second user account of the second storage device that are associated with the user;

storing the file in one of the first and second user accounts; and

updating the file mapping table within the server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether a storage space of at least one of the first and second user accounts is large enough to store the file; and

providing a mechanism to the user to acquire more storage space if it is determined that the storage space associated with at least one of the first and second user accounts is not large enough.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing a mechanism to acquire more storage space comprises arranging a third storage provider for the user to acquire more storage space from a third storage device.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring performance of the first and second storage devices;

migrating one or more files from the first storage device to the second storage device based on the monitored performance; and

updating the file mapping table within the server.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

monitoring access statistics of one or more of the files stored in the first and second storage devices; and

relocating one or more files between the first and second storage devices based on the access statistics.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for managing content stored in heterogeneous storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server over a network from a client, a request for accessing files stored in a plurality of heterogeneous storage devices hosted by a plurality of storage providers over the network, including a first storage device of a first storage provider and a second storage device of a second storage provider;

accessing, on behalf of a user of the client, the first storage device and the second storage device to retrieve information concerning the files; and

transmitting data to the client over the network, the data representing a logical file system view of the files without exposing actual storage locations of the files stored in the first and second storage devices.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first storage device and the second storage device are accessed using first and second credentials that were cached within the server previously, and wherein accessing the first and second storage devices is performed without having to prompt the user for providing the first and second credentials.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises maintaining within the server for the user a file mapping table logically mapping the logical file system view with physical files stored in the first and second storage devices.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to a request for storing a new file from the client, determining storage spaces of at least one of a first user account of the first storage device and a second user account of the second storage device that are associated with the user;

storing the file in one of the first and second user accounts; and

updating the file mapping table within the server.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

determining whether a storage space of at least one of the first and second user accounts is large enough to store the file; and

providing a mechanism to the user to acquire more storage space if it is determined that the storage space associated with at least one of the first and second user accounts is not large enough.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein providing a mechanism to acquire more storage space comprises arranging a third storage provider for the user to acquire more storage space from a third storage device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring performance of the first and second storage devices;

migrating one or more files from the first storage device to the second storage device based on the monitored performance; and

updating the file mapping table within the server.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring user access statistics of one or more of the files stored in the first and second storage devices; and

relocating one or more files between the first and second storage devices based on the user access statistics.

17. A data processing system, comprising:

an application programming interface (API) to receive a request from a client for accessing files stored in a plurality of heterogeneous storage devices hosted by a plurality of storage providers over the network, including a first storage device of a first storage provider and a second storage device of a second storage provider; and

a storage service module to access, on behalf of a user of the client, the first storage device and the second storage device to retrieve information concerning the files, and to transmit data to the client over the network, the data representing a logical file system view of the files without exposing actual storage locations of the files stored in the first and second storage devices.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a database to store first and second credentials associated with the first storage device and second storage device, respectively, wherein accessing the first and second storage devices is performed using the first and second credentials without having to prompt the user for providing the first and second credentials.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a file mapping table for the user logically mapping the logical file system view with physical files stored in the first and second storage devices.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage service module is configured to:

in response to a request for storing a new file from the client, determine storage spaces of at least one of a first user account of the first storage device and a second user account of the second storage device that are associated with the user,

store the file in one of the first and second user accounts, and

update the file mapping table within the server.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a resource manager configured to

determine whether a storage space of at least one of the first and second user accounts is large enough to store the file, and

provide a mechanism to the user to acquire more storage space if it is determined that the storage space associated with at least one of the first and second user accounts is not large enough.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the resource manager is configured to arrange a third storage provider for the user to acquire more storage space from a third storage device.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a resource manager configured to:

monitor performance of the first and second storage devices,

migrate one or more files from the first storage device to the second storage device based on the monitored performance, and

update the file mapping table within the server.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the resource manager is further configured to:

monitor access statistics of one or more of the files stored in the first and second storage devices, and

relocate one or more files between the first and second storage devices based on the access statistics.

25. A computer-implemented method for managing content stored in a heterogeneous collection of storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a request for storing a file from a client over a network;

determining whether a first storage device of a first storage provider is suitable to store the file;

if the first storage device is not suitable to store the file, obtaining a storage space of a second storage device from a second storage provider over the network; and

storing the file in the second storage device hosted by the second storage provider.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting to the client information representing the second storage provider to enable a user of the client to acquire the storage space, if the first storage device is not suitable to store the file.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising maintaining within the server for the user a file mapping table logically mapping a logical file system view with physical files stored in the first and second storage devices.