VIRTUALIZED FILE SERVER TIERS

• US 20170235590A1
• Filed: 02/01/2017
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nutanix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nutanix Incorporated
• Inventors: Sharpe, Richard James, Bafna, Kalpesh Ashok, Gopalapura Venkatesh, Anil Kumar, Arikatla, Durga Mahesh, Sinha, Vishal, Rathi, Shyamsunder Prayagchand
• Granted Patent: US 10,719,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0712 in a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1484 involving virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/301 where the computing system is a virtual computing platform, e.g. logically partitioned systems virtual machines G06F9/45533; logical partitioning of resources G06F9/5077
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1727 Details of free space management performed by the file system saving storage space on storage systems G06F3/0608; management of blocks in storage devices G06F3/064
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 : Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1774 : Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files
• 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 16/1844 : Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 : Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45579 : I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45583 : Memory management, e.g. access or allocation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45587 : Isolation or security of virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 : Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 : by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 : Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 : to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 : to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 : Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 : Virtual
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/825 : the problem or solution involving locking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 : Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 : Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/034 : Test or assess a computer or a system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 : Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 : Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 : Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 : in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 : Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 : Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 : at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 : at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 : Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 : Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 : Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 : Loading of operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 : Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 : Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 : the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 : by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 : Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for managing a virtualization environment comprises a plurality of host machines, one or more virtual disks comprising a plurality of storage devices, a virtualized file server (VFS) comprising a plurality of file server virtual machines (FSVMs), wherein each of the FSVMs is running on one of the host machines, and a backup system configured to, in response to a request to access a data item, determine an access frequency for the data item. The backup system is further configured to, in response a request to store a data item, determine a storage tier at which the data item is to be stored in a cloud storage service, wherein the tier is determined based on the access frequency associated with the data item, and store the data item at the determined tier of the cloud storage service.

Claims

1. A system for managing a virtualization environment, the system comprising:

a plurality of host machines, wherein each of the host machines comprises a hypervisor, one or more user virtual machines (user VMs), and a virtual machine controller;

one or more virtual disks comprising a plurality of storage devices, the one or more virtual disks being accessible by the virtual machine controllers, wherein the virtual machine controllers conduct I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks;

a virtualized file server (VFS) comprising a plurality of file server virtual machines (FSVMs), wherein each of the FSVMs is running on one of the host machines and conducts I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks, and the host machines form a cluster; and

a backup system configured to;

in response to a request to access a data item, determine an access frequency for the data item;

in response a request to store a data item, determine a storage tier at which the data item is to be stored in a cloud storage service, wherein the tier is determined based on the access frequency associated with the data item; and

store the data item at the determined tier of the cloud storage service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the access frequency is measured as between consecutive accesses of the data item by an FSVM on which the data item is located.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage tier is selected from a plurality of storage tiers that are each associated with a corresponding tier access time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage tier is selected based on a comparison of the access frequency of the data item to the tier access time associated with the storage tier.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the access frequency comprises a high frequency, a medium frequency, and a low frequency.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the access tiers comprise a hot-data tier associated with the high frequency, a cooler-data tier associated with the medium frequency, and a cold-data tier associated with the low frequency.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the selected storage tier is the tier associated with a frequency that corresponds to the access frequency of the data item.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the backup system is further configured to:

store the access frequency determined for the data item in a database in association with the data item; and

in response to a subsequent request to access the data item, update the access frequency based on the stored access frequency and a current access frequency based on the time between the subsequent request and a previous request to access the data item.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the access frequency is further based on an expected future access frequency associated with the data item.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the backup system is further configured to retrieve the backed-up data item from the tier in response to a request for the data by the VFS.

11. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software for managing a virtualization environment, the media comprising instructions operable when executed to:

provide a plurality of host machines, wherein each of the host machines comprises a hypervisor, one or more user virtual machines (user VMs), and a virtual machine controller;

provide one or more virtual disks comprising a plurality of storage devices, the one or more virtual disks being accessible by the virtual machine controllers, wherein the virtual machine controllers conduct I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks;

provide a virtualized file server (VFS) comprising a plurality of file server virtual machines (FSVMs), wherein each of the FSVMs is running on one of the host machines and conducts I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks, and the host machines form a cluster;

in response to a request to access a data item, determine an access frequency for the data item;

in response a request to store a data item, determine a storage tier at which the data item is to be stored in a cloud storage service, wherein the tier is determined based on the access frequency associated with the data item; and

store the data item at the determined tier of the cloud storage service.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the access frequency is measured as between consecutive accesses of the data item by an FSVM on which the data item is located.

13. The media of claim 11, wherein the storage tier is selected from a plurality of storage tiers that are each associated with a corresponding tier access time.

14. The media of claim 11, wherein the storage tier is selected based on a comparison of the access frequency of the data item to the tier access time associated with the storage tier.

15. The media of claim 11, wherein the access frequency comprises a high frequency, a medium frequency, and a low frequency.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the access tiers comprise a hot-data tier associated with the high frequency, a cooler-data tier associated with the medium frequency, and a cold-data tier associated with the low frequency.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the selected storage tier is the tier associated with a frequency that corresponds to the access frequency of the data item.

18. The media of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further operable when executed to:

store the access frequency determined for the data item in a database in association with the data item; and

in response to a subsequent request to access the data item, update the access frequency based on the stored access frequency and a current access frequency based on the time between the subsequent request and a previous request to access the data item.

19. The media of claim 11, wherein the access frequency is further based on an expected future access frequency associated with the data item.

20. A method for managing a virtualization environment, the method comprising:

by one or more computing devices, providing a plurality of host machines, wherein each of the host machines comprises a hypervisor, one or more user virtual machines (user VMs), and a virtual machine controller;

by the one or more computing devices, providing one or more virtual disks comprising a plurality of storage devices, the one or more virtual disks being accessible by the virtual machine controllers, wherein the virtual machine controllers conduct I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks;

by the one or more computing devices, providing a virtualized file server (VFS) comprising a plurality of file server virtual machines (FSVMs), wherein each of the FSVMs is running on one of the host machines and conducts I/O transactions with the one or more virtual disks, and the host machines form a cluster; and

by the one or more computing devices, in response to a request to access a data item, determining an access frequency for the data item;

by the one or more computing devices, in response a request to store a data item, determining a storage tier at which the data item is to be stored in a cloud storage service, wherein the tier is determined based on the access frequency associated with the data item; and

by the one or more computing devices, storing the data item at the determined tier of the cloud storage service.