Mass storage system for file-systems
First Claim
1. A mass storage system for storing file systems, each containing at least two data files, for access by at least one processor, comprising:
- a plurality of means for storing file systems to provide said at least one processor with access to said file systems;
means interconnecting said at least one processor and said plurality of storing means for exchanging data therebetween;
means connected to said plurality of storing means for regulating flow of data between said plurality of storing means and said at least one processor via said exchanging means;
means connected to said at least one processor and said regulating means for transporting control signals therebetween;
means for storing mapping data indicative of a correspondence between processor file system images that contain at least two data files therein and physical data storage locations in said plurality of storing means used to store said at least two data files in said file system image;
wherein said regulating means are responsive to a one of said processors requesting access to an identified data file for retrieving mapping information from said mapping data storing means indicative of said requested data file and all other said at least two data files in said one file system associated with said requested data file; and
means responsive to said at least two data files in said one file system image being stored in one of said plurality of storage means for transmitting via said exchanging means the entirety of said at least two data files in said one file system from said one of said plurality of storage means to a direct access memory for use by said requesting processor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The mass storage system functions to archive, store, retrieve and manage the plurality of data files that comprise a typical file-system as a single uninterpreted bitfile. Client data processors access this file-system on a shared, channel-attached direct access storage device the same as if the file-system was located on a directly attached direct access storage device belonging exclusively to the client data processor. The direct access storage devices, archival storage devices and the client data processors which move the file-system bitfile between archival storage devices, direct access storage devices for access by the client data processors.
202 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A mass storage system for storing file systems, each containing at least two data files, for access by at least one processor, comprising:
-
a plurality of means for storing file systems to provide said at least one processor with access to said file systems; means interconnecting said at least one processor and said plurality of storing means for exchanging data therebetween; means connected to said plurality of storing means for regulating flow of data between said plurality of storing means and said at least one processor via said exchanging means; means connected to said at least one processor and said regulating means for transporting control signals therebetween; means for storing mapping data indicative of a correspondence between processor file system images that contain at least two data files therein and physical data storage locations in said plurality of storing means used to store said at least two data files in said file system image; wherein said regulating means are responsive to a one of said processors requesting access to an identified data file for retrieving mapping information from said mapping data storing means indicative of said requested data file and all other said at least two data files in said one file system associated with said requested data file; and means responsive to said at least two data files in said one file system image being stored in one of said plurality of storage means for transmitting via said exchanging means the entirety of said at least two data files in said one file system from said one of said plurality of storage means to a direct access memory for use by said requesting processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A mass storage system for storing file systems, each containing at least two data files, for access by a plurality of processors, comprising:
-
first means for storing a first plurality of file systems in bitfile format to provide high speed access to said first plurality of file systems; second means for storing a second plurality of file systems in bitfile format on media to archive said second plurality of file systems; means interconnecting said plurality of processors and said first and second storing means for exchanging data therebetween; means connected to said first and second data storing means for regulating the flow of data between said first and second data storing means via said exchanging means; means connected to said processors and said regulating means for transporting control signals therebetween; means for storing mapping data indicative of a correspondence between processor file system images and physical data storage locations in said first and second data storing means used to store said file systems; wherein said regulating means are responsive to a one of said processors requesting access to an identified data file in a one of said file system images for retrieving mapping information from said mapping data storing means indicative of an identified file system associated with said requested data file; and means responsive to said identified file system being stored in said second data storage means in bitfile format for transmitting data comprising the entirety of said one file system from said second data storage means to said first data storage means for access by said requesting processor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In a mass storage system for storing file systems, each containing at least two data files, for access by at least one processor, comprising a plurality of data file storage systems to provide access to said file systems for said at least one processor and a network interconnecting said at least one processor and said plurality of data file storage systems for exchanging data therebetween, a method of providing said processors with access to said file systems, comprising the steps of:
-
regulating flow of data between said plurality of data file storage systems and said at least one processor via said network; storing in a mapping memory mapping data indicative of a correspondence between processor file system images that contain at least two data files therein and physical data storage locations in said plurality of data file storage systems used to store said at least two data files in said file system; retrieving, in response to a one of said processors requesting access to an identified data file, mapping information from said mapping memory indicative of said requested data file and all other said at least two data files in a one file system associated with said requested data file; and transmitting via said network the entirety of said at least two data files in said one file system from said one of said plurality of data file storage systems to a direct access memory for use by said requesting processor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. In a mass storage system for storing data files for access by a plurality of processors, comprising a first data file storage system for storing a first plurality of file systems, each containing at least two data files, in bitfile format to provide said plurality of processors with high speed access to said first plurality of file systems, second data file storage system for storing data in bitfile format on media to archive a second plurality of file systems, a network interconnecting said plurality of processors and said first and second data file storage systems for exchanging data therebetween, a method of providing said processors with access to said first and second plurality of file systems, comprising the steps of:
-
regulating the flow of data between said first and second data file storage systems via said network; storing mapping data in a mapping memory indicative of a correspondence between host processor file system images and physical data storage locations in said first and second data file storage systems used to store said first and second plurality of file systems; retrieving, in response to a one of said processors requesting access to an identified data file, mapping information from said mapping memory indicative of said requested data file and a one file system associated with said requested data file; and transmitting, in response to said one file system being stored in said second data storage means in bitfile format, data comprising the entirety of said one file system from said second data file storage system to said first data file storage system for access by said requesting processor. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
-
Specification