METHOD FOR DATA RETRIEVAL FROM A DISTRIBUTED DATA STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20140279936A1
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compuverde AB (Pure Storage, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compuverde AB (Pure Storage, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bernbo, Stefan, Melander, Christian, Persson, Roger, Petersson, Gustav
• Granted Patent: US 10,579,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/687
• 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 requesting data, the method comprising:

sending a multicast message that requests data to a plurality of storage nodes in a data storage system, wherein the data storage system operates without the use of permanent master storage nodes, and the multicast message includes a data identifier used to uniquely identify the requested data the data storage system;

receiving a plurality of responses to the multicast message, wherein the plurality of responses comprise a first response from a first storage node and a second response from a second storage node, the first response includes a first instance of the requested data, and the second response includes a second instance of the requested data;

analyzing the first and second instances of the requested data to determine whether one or more of the first instance of the requested data or the second instance of the second data have met a desired integrity level;

determining that the first instance of the requested data meets the desired integrity level and that the second instance of the requested data does not meet the desired integrity level; and

selecting the first instance of the requested data based on the first instance of the requested data meeting the desired integrity level, and discarding the second instance of the requested data failing to meet the desired integrity level.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of responses to the multicast message further comprise a third response from a third storage node, the third response includes a third instance of the requested data, and the third instance of the requested data is determined to have meet the desired integrity level.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

selecting one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on additional criteria related to conditions at the first and third storage nodes.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the conditions at the first and third storage nodes comprise one or more of load conditions, geographical position, or system age of the first and third storage nodes.

5. The method as in claim 2, further comprising:

selecting one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on which versions of the requested data each of the first and third instance of the requested data correspond to.

6. A server for accessing a data storage system, the server comprising a processor configured, at least in part, to:

send a multicast message that requests data to a plurality of storage nodes in the data storage system, wherein the data storage system operates without the use of permanent master storage nodes, and the multicast message includes a data identifier used to uniquely identify the requested data the data storage system;

receive a plurality of responses to the multicast message, wherein the plurality of responses comprise a first response from a first storage node and a second response from a second storage node, the first response includes a first instance of the requested data, and the second response includes a second instance of the requested data;

analyze the first and second instances of the requested data to determine whether one or more of the first instance of the requested data or the second instance of the second data have met a desired integrity level;

determine that the first instance of the requested data meets the desired integrity level and that the second instance of the requested data does not meet the desired integrity level; and

select the first instance of the requested data based on the first instance of the requested data meeting the desired integrity level, and discarding the second instance of the requested data failing to meet the desired integrity level.

7. The server as in claim 6, wherein the plurality of responses to the multicast message further comprise a third response from a third storage node, the third response includes a third instance of the requested data, and the third instance of the requested data is determined to have meet the desired integrity level.

8. The server as in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on additional criteria related to conditions at the first and third storage nodes.

9. The server as in claim 8, wherein the conditions at the first and third storage nodes comprise one or more of load conditions, geographical position, or system age of the first and third storage nodes.

10. The server as in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on which versions of the requested data each of the first and third instance of the requested data correspond to.

11. A storage node of a data storage system, the storage node comprising a processor configured, at least in part, to:

send a multicast message that requests data to a plurality of other storage nodes in the data storage system, wherein the data storage system operates without the use of permanent master storage nodes, and the multicast message includes a data identifier used to uniquely identify the requested data the data storage system;

receive a plurality of responses to the multicast message, wherein the plurality of responses comprise a first response from a first storage node and a second response from a second storage node, the first response includes a first instance of the requested data, and the second response includes a second instance of the requested data;

analyze the first and second instances of the requested data to determine whether one or more of the first instance of the requested data or the second instance of the second data have met a desired integrity level;

determine that the first instance of the requested data meets the desired integrity level and that the second instance of the requested data does not meet the desired integrity level; and

select the first instance of the requested data based on the first instance of the requested data meeting the desired integrity level, and discarding the second instance of the requested data failing to meet the desired integrity level.

12. The storage node as in claim 11, wherein the plurality of responses to the multicast message further comprise a third response from a third storage node, the third response includes a third instance of the requested data, and the third instance of the requested data is determined to have meet the desired integrity level.

13. The storage node as in claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on additional criteria related to conditions at the first and third storage nodes.

14. The storage node as in claim 13, wherein the conditions at the first and third storage nodes comprise one or more of load conditions, geographical position, or system age of the first and third storage nodes.

15. The storage node as in claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select one of the first instance of the requested data or the third instance of the requested data based on each of the first and third instances of the requested data meeting the desired quality level, wherein the selection is based on which versions of the requested data each of the first and third instance of the requested data correspond to.