File distribution system in which partial files are arranged according to various allocation rules associated with a plurality of file types

• US 7,325,041 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sonoda, Koji, Iwasaki, Masaaki, Hara, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US11/501,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/208, 709/226, 709/218, 709/224, 709/227, 709/229, 707/200, 370/400, 370/428
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems

Abstract

In a distributed file system, when a user requests a computer to create a distributed file, a management computer acquires a list of computers complying with an allocation rule selected by the user from allocation rules taking the performance, security level, reliability level and utility rate into consideration. When the user requests the computer to access the distributed file, on the other hand, the partial files and the server information are collected from each computer. Each computer evaluates the allocation of the partial files based on the selected allocation rule and the server information from each computer, and if required, selects a destination computer and instructs the partial files to be moved to the destination computer.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of first computers, wherein a subset of the plurality of first computers stores at least a portion of a file;

at least one second computer configured to use the file; and

a management computer operatively coupled to the plurality of first computers and to the second computer, wherein;

each of the plurality of first computers configured to send to the second computer property information about itself;

the management computer configured to manage the computer property information of each of the first computers;

the second computer configured to store a plurality of allocation rules associated with a plurality of file types;

the second computer further configured to receive a computer property information and a portion of the file from one of the first computers and to compare the received computer property information to one or more allocation rules corresponding to the file type of the received portion of the file;

the second computer further configured to receive from the management computer information that identifies other first computers which contain a portion of the file, wherein the information that identifies other first computers comprises a list of said other first computers;

for each of the other first computers, if the computer property information does not match said one or more allocation rules, then the second computer instructs said each of the other first computers to send its portion of the file to another first computers;

wherein when the second computer determines that the list includes one of the first computers holding another partial file than those to be moved which belong to the distributed file holding the partial file to be moved, the second computer removes the one of the first computers from the list.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer property information comprises one or more of performance information, security level information, reliability level information, and utility rate information.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the second computer selects a criterion comprising one or more of performance information, security level information, reliability level information, and utility rate information and removes any first computer from the list whose computer property information does not meet the criterion.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the second computer determines whether the list contains any first computers greater in number than the partial files to be moved, and if greater, then the second computer binds said one or more allocation rules and the list.

5. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers, wherein a subset of the plurality of first computers stored at least a portion of a file;

at least one second computer configured to use the file; and

a management computer operatively coupled to the first computers and to the second computer, wherein;

each first computer is configured to send to the second computer property information about itself;

the management computer manages the computer property information of each of the first computers;

the second computer stores a plurality of allocation rules associated with a plurality of file types, and

the second computer is configured to receive a computer property information and a portion of the file from one of the first computers and to compare the received computer property information to one or more allocation rules corresponding to the file type of the received portion of the file;

the second computer is further configured to receive from the management computer information that identifies other first computers which contain a portion of the file, wherein the information that identifies other first computers comprises a list of said other first computers, wherein the computer property information comprises performance information, security level information, reliability level information, and utility rate information;

for each of the other first computers, if the computer property information does not match said one or more allocation rules, then the second computer instructs said each of the other first computers to send its portion of the file to another first computer; and

the second computer determines whether the list contains any first computers greater in number than the partial files to be moved, and if not greater then the second computer removes the lowest priority allocation rules, if any remaining allocation rule has a priority of 1 then the second computer determines if any first computers comply with the remaining allocation rules, and if not then the second computer informs a user and determines a list of first computers.