VIRTUAL FILE SYSTEM INTEGRATING MULTIPLE CLOUD STORAGE SERVICES AND OPERATING METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20140164449A1
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Postech Academy-Industry Foundation
• Original Assignee: Postech Academy-Industry Foundation
• Inventors: Kim, Jong, Park, Young Kyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,384,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/827
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5005 to service a request

Abstract

Disclosed is a virtual file system integrating and managing multiple cloud storages. A virtual file system may comprise an API database storing information on open API of the cloud storages, a storage state database storing state information of the cloud storages, a metadata database storing metadata of the cloud storages, a cloud storage allocation part receiving an user request and selecting a cloud storage appropriate for the user request among the cloud storages by referring to the storage state database and the metadata database, and an API mapping part reading out open API information of the cloud storage selected by the cloud storage allocation part from the API database, converting the user request to an open API of the selected cloud storage, and transferring the converted open API to the selected cloud storage.

Claims

1. A virtual file system integrating and managing multiple cloud storages, comprising:

an API database storing information on open API of the cloud storages;

a storage state database storing state information of the cloud storages;

a metadata database storing metadata of the cloud storages;

a cloud storage allocation part receiving an user request and selecting a cloud storage appropriate for the user request among the cloud storages by referring to the storage state database and the metadata database; and

an API mapping part reading out open API information of the cloud storage selected by the cloud storage allocation part from the API database, converting the user request to an open API of the selected cloud storage, and transferring the converted open API to the selected cloud storage.

2. The virtual file system of the claim 1, further comprising an information collecting part collecting the information on open API, the metadata, and the state information of the cloud storages, and storing the information on open API, the metadata, and the state information of the cloud storages in the API database, the storage state database, and the metadata database.

3. The virtual file system of the claim 2, wherein the information collecting part collects the information on open API of the cloud storages by referring to API description file of the cloud storage.

4. The virtual file system of the claim 2, wherein the information collecting part collects the metadata, and the state information by calling API of respective cloud storage of the cloud storages through the API mapping part.

5. The virtual file system of the claim 1, wherein the user request is based on a specification of Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX).

6. The virtual file system of the claim 1, wherein the state information includes at least one of information on total capacity of corresponding cloud storage, information of used capacity of corresponding cloud storage, and information on upload or download performance of corresponding cloud storage.

7. The virtual file system of the claim 1, wherein the metadata includes at least one of information on names of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage, information on creation dates and/or modification dates of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage, information on size and directory path of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage.

8. The virtual file system of the claim 1, further comprising an usage pattern monitoring part monitoring usage pattern of the file system by users, and a performance monitoring part monitoring performances of the cloud storages, wherein the cloud storage allocating part selects the cloud storage appropriate for the user request based on information provided from the usage pattern monitoring part and the performance monitoring part.

9. The virtual file system of the claim 8, wherein the cloud storage allocation part selects a cloud storage having a best upload performance monitored by the performance monitoring part as the cloud storage appropriate for the user request, when an access type of an objective file of the user request monitored in the usage pattern monitoring part is a type in which the objective file is more frequently uploaded than downloaded.

10. The virtual file system of the claim 8, wherein the cloud storage allocation part selects a cloud storage having a best download performance monitored by the performance monitoring part as the cloud storage appropriate for the user request, when an access type of an objective file of the user request monitored in the usage pattern monitoring part is a type in which the objective file is more frequently downloaded than uploaded.

11. A method of operating a virtual file system integrating and managing multiple cloud storages, comprising:

initializing at least one database storing information on open API, state information, and metadata of the cloud storages;

monitoring usage pattern of the file system by users and performances of the cloud storages;

receiving a user request and selecting a cloud storage appropriate to the user request among the cloud storages by referring to the state information and the metadata stored in the at least one database and to the usage pattern of the file system and the performances of the cloud storages; and

converting the user request to an open API of the selected cloud storage by referring the information on open API stored in the at least one database and transferring the converted open API to the selected cloud storage.

12. The method of the claim 11, wherein the initializing at least one database comprises collecting the information on open API, the metadata, and the state information of the cloud storages and storing the information on open API, the metadata, and the state information of the cloud storages are stored in the at least one database.

13. The method of the claim 12, wherein the information on open API of the cloud storages is collected by referring to API description file of the cloud storages.

14. The method of the claim 12, wherein the metadata and the state information are collected by calling API of respective cloud storage of the cloud storages.

15. The method of the claim 11, wherein the user request is based on a specification of Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX).

16. The method of the claim 11, wherein the state information includes at least one of information on total capacity of corresponding cloud storage, information of used capacity of corresponding cloud storage, and information on upload or download performance of corresponding cloud storage.

17. The method of the claim 11, wherein the metadata includes at least one of information on names of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage, information on creation dates and/or modification dates of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage, information on size and directory path of files or folders existing in corresponding cloud storage.

18. The method of the claim 11, wherein a cloud storage having a best upload performance monitored is selected as the cloud storage appropriate for the user request, when an access type of an objective file of the user request monitored is a type in which the objective file is more frequently uploaded than downloaded.

19. The method of the claim 11, wherein a cloud storage having a best download performance monitored is selected as the cloud storage appropriate for the user request, when an access type of an objective file of the user request monitored is a type in which the objective file is more frequently downloaded than uploaded.