Concurrent file across at a target file server during migration of file systems between file servers using a network file system access protocol
First Claim
1. A method of migrating a file system from a source file server to a target file server in a data network while permitting clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, said method comprising:
- the target file server issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system from the source file server to the target file server, and concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A file system is migrated from a source file server to a target file server in a data network while permitting clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system. The target file server issues directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system from the source file server to the target file server. Concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server responds to client read/write requests for access to the file system. In a preferred embodiment, the target file server maintains a hierarchy of on-line nodes off-line nodes. The online nodes represent file system objects that have been completely migrated, and the offline nodes representing file system objects that have not been completely migrated. The target file server executes a background process that walks through the hierarchy in order to migrate the objects of the offline nodes. When an object has been completely migrated, the target file server changes the offline node for the object to an online node for the object.
310 Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method of migrating a file system from a source file server to a target file server in a data network while permitting clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, said method comprising:
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the target file server issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system from the source file server to the target file server, and concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of migrating a file system from a source file server to a target file server in a data network while permitting clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, said method comprising:
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the target file server issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system from the source file server to the target file server, and concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system;
wherein the target file server responds to a client request for access to an object of the file system by checking whether the object is in the target file server, and if the object is not in the target file server, fetching the object from the source file server and then accessing the object in the target file server once the object has been transferred to the target file server; and
wherein the file system includes nodes in a hierarchy of directories, the file system in the target file server includes online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the target file server, the offline nodes representing objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the target file server, and wherein the target file server checks whether the object is in the target file server by checking whether the target file server has an online node for the object. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of migrating a file system from a source file server to a target file server in a data network while permitting clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, said method comprising:
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taking the source file server offline with respect to the client requests and directing subsequent client requests to the target file server instead of the source file server;
the target file server maintaining a hierarchy of nodes representing file system objects, the nodes including online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing file system objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the target file server, the offline nodes representing file system objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server walking through the hierarchy of nodes and issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system objects represented by offline nodes from the source file server to the target file server, and when a file system object has been transferred from the source file server to the target file server, the target file system changing the offline node for the object to an online node for the object, and concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the target file server, the target file server responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system, the target file server responding by accessing objects in the target file server when the target file server has online nodes for the objects, and by fetching objects from the source file server when the target file server has offline nodes for the objects. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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- 24. A network file server comprising data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, the network file server also being programmed with a migration program for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system.
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29. A network file server comprising data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, the network file server also being programmed with a migration program for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system;
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wherein the network file server is programmed to respond to a client request for access to an object of the file system by checking whether the object is in the network file server, and if the object is not in the network file server, fetching the object from the source file server and then accessing the object in the network file server once the object has been transferred to the network file server; and
wherein the file system includes nodes in a hierarchy of directories, the file system in the network file server includes online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, the offline nodes representing objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, and wherein the network file server is programmed to check whether the object is in the network file server by checking whether the network file server has an online node for the object. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A network file server comprising data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, the network file server also being programmed with a migration program integrated with the file system program for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, the migration program being executable by the network file server for:
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maintaining a hierarchy of nodes representing file system objects, the nodes including online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing file system objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, the offline nodes representing file system objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, walking through the hierarchy of nodes and issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system objects represented by the offline nodes from the source file server to the network file server, and when a file system object has been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, f6r changing the offline node for the object to an online node for the object, and responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system, concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the network file server, by accessing objects in the network file server when the network file server has online nodes for the objects, and by fetching objects from the source file server when the network file server has offline nodes for the objects. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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- 45. A program storage device containing a file system migration program for a network file server, the network file server including data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, wherein the migration program is executable by the network file server for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system.
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50. A program storage device containing a file system migration program for a network file server, the network file server including data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, wherein the migration program is executable by the network file server for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system;
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wherein the migration program is executable by the network file server for responding to a client request for access to an object of the file system by checking whether the object is in the network file server, and if the object is not in the network file server, fetching the object from the source file server and then accessing the object in the network file server once the object has been transferred to the network file server; and
wherein the file system includes nodes in a hierarchy of directories, the file system in the network file server includes online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, the offline nodes representing objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, and wherein the migration program is executable by the network file server for checking whether the object is in the network file server by checking whether the network file server has an online node for the object. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A program storage device containing a file system migration program for a network file server, the network file server including data storage and at least one processor coupled to the data storage for storing and retrieving data from the data storage and, the network file server being adapted for coupling to a data network for communication with network clients, the network file server being programmed with a file system program for maintaining files of data in the data storage and responding to client read/write requests for access to the files, the migration program being executable by the network file server and being integrated with the file system program for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to a source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to migrate a file system from the source file server to the network file server while permitting the network clients to have concurrent read/write access to the file system, the migration program being executable by the network file server for:
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maintaining a hierarchy of nodes representing file system objects, the nodes including online nodes and offline nodes, the online nodes representing file system objects that have been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, the offline nodes representing file system objects that have not yet been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, walking through the hierarchy of nodes for issuing directory read requests and file read requests to the source file server in accordance with a network file access protocol to transfer the file system objects represented by the offline nodes from the source file server to the network file server, and when a file system object has been transferred from the source file server to the network file server, for changing the offline node for the object to an online node for the object, and responding to client read/write requests for access to the file system, concurrent with the transfer of the file system from the source file server to the network file server, by accessing objects in the network file server when the network file server has online nodes for the objects, and by fetching objects from the source file server when the network file server has offline nodes for the objects. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification