Method and apparatus for allocating resources among virtual filers on a filer

• US 7,647,461 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: Banga, Gaurav, Muhlestein, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THAN VINH
• Application Number:
  US10/408,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,472 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An architecture provides the ability to create and maintain multiple instances of virtual servers, such as virtual filers (vfilers), within a server, such as a filer. A vfiler is a logical partitioning of network and storage resources of the filer platform to establish an instance of a multi-protocol server. Each vfiler is allocated a subset of dedicated units of storage resources, such as volumes or logical sub-volumes (qtrees), and one or more network address resources. Each vfiler is also allowed shared access to a file system resource of a storage operating system. To ensure controlled access to the allocated and shared resources, each vfiler is further assigned its own security domain for each access protocol. A vfiler boundary check is performed by the file system to verify that a current vfiler is allowed to access certain storage resources for a requested file stored on the filer platform.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a plurality of virtual servers on a computer, comprising:

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

storing soft objects in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server; and

executing a command on a processor of the computer, the command to change a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pointers of each soft object provide indirection which can be changed by changing the pointer when logically assigning the resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage data structures correspond to dynamically adjustable portions of the storage resources.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

implementing a dynamically adjustable portion of a storage resource as a qtree.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

implementing a dynamically adjustable portion of a storage resource as a volume.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a list of the storage data structures allocated to the virtual server in the external configuration information.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

storing a pointer within each storage data structure, the pointer referencing a path to a dynamically adjustable portion of at least one storage resource.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing the soft objects as network data structures which point to the one or more network resources, and the network data structures correspond to dynamically adjustable portions of the one or more network resources.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing a network resource as a network interface of the server, and a dynamically adjustable portion of the network interface is a network address.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a context structure for each virtual server, the context structure containing configuration information used to establish an instance of a multi-protocol server; and

storing a list of a plurality of network data structures allocated to the virtual server in the context structure.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

storing a pointer within each network data structure, the pointer referencing an interface address data structure representing a dynamically adjustable portion of a network resource.

12. A computer apparatus, comprising:

external configuration information of a selected virtual server of a plurality of virtual servers stored in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, wherein the plurality of virtual servers are maintained on a server;

internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers stored in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

soft objects stored in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server; and

a processor of the computer to execute a command which changes a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the one or more pointers of each soft object provide indirection which can be changed by changing the pointer when logically assigning the resources.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 the storage data structures correspond to dynamically adjustable portions of the storage resources.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a qtree implemented as the dynamically adjustable portion of a storage resource.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a volume implemented as the dynamically adjustable portion of a storage resource.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a list of a plurality of storage data structures allocated to the virtual server stored in the external configuration information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

a pointer stored within each storage data structure, the pointer referencing a path to a dynamically adjustable portion of at least one storage resource.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

network data structures implemented as the soft objects, the network data structures point to the one or more network resources, and the network data structures correspond to dynamically adjustable portions of the one or more network resources.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a network resource implemented as a network interface of the server, and a dynamically adjustable portion of the network interface is a network address.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a context structure for each virtual server, the context structure containing configuration information used to establish an instance of a multi-protocol server; and

a list of the network data structures allocated to the virtual server stored in the context structure.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

a pointer stored within each network data structure, the pointer referencing an interface address data structure representing a dynamically adjustable portion of a network resource.

23. A computer readable storage media, comprising:

said computer readable storage media containing instructions for execution on a processor for the practice of a method of maintaining a plurality of virtual servers on a computer, the method having the steps of;

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

storing soft objects in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server; and

executing a command on a processor of the computer, the command to change a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.

24. A computer apparatus to maintain a plurality of virtual servers on the computer, comprising:

means for storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

means for storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer; and

means for storing soft objects in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server; and

means for executing a command on a processor of the computer, the command to change a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.

25. A method for allocating resources among one or more virtual servers of a computer, comprising:

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

mapping one or more pointers to the resources, the pointers stored in the external configuration information and accessible by processing elements of the server; and

assigning at least one of the pointers of the one or more pointers to at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers to dynamically allocate the resources among the one or more virtual servers.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

implementing storage resources as a qtree.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

implementing storage resources as a volume.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

implementing network resources as at least one network interface and at least one network address.

29. A computer system, comprising:

one or more resources mapped to one or more pointers, and the pointers reside in a memory of a computer and are accessible by processing elements of the computer;

an operating system executed by a processor of the computer, the operating system configured to assign at least one of the pointers of the one or more pointers to at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers to dynamically allocate the resources among the one or more virtual servers;

a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer to store external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers, the external configuration information including the pointers; and

internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers stored in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a storage resource implemented as a qtree.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a storage resource implemented as a volume.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a network resource implemented as a network interface.

33. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a network resource implemented as at least one network address.

34. A computer readable media, comprising:

said computer readable media containing instructions for execution on a processor for the practice of a method of allocating resources among one or more virtual servers of a computer, the method having the steps of;

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

mapping one or more pointers to the resources, the pointers stored in the external configuration information and accessible by processing elements of the computer; and

assigning at least one of the pointers of the one or more pointers to at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers to dynamically allocate the resources among the one or more virtual servers.

35. A computer method for migrating resources from a first virtual server to a second virtual server, comprising:

storing external configuration information of the first virtual server of a plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of a computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the first virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the first virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the first virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer; and

migrating all resources of the first virtual server to the second virtual server in response to re-assigning pointers stored in the external configuration information.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing the external configuration information in such a way that it is not accessible to an administrator of a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing the external configuration information in a root node of the server.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing the external configuration information of the first virtual server and the external configuration information of the second virtual server in the global repository.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

maintaining storage device storage as an external resource.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

using a RAID system as the storage device storage.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of migrating is transparent to a client.

42. A computer for migrating resources from a first virtual server to a second virtual server, comprising:

external configuration information of the first virtual server of a plurality of virtual servers maintained in a global repository stored on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

internal configuration information of the first virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers stored in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the first virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the first virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer; and

a processor to migrate all resources of the first virtual server to the second virtual server in response to re-assigning pointers stored in the external configuration information.

43. The server of claim 42, further comprising:

external configuration information stored in such a way that it is not accessible to an administrator of a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

44. The server of claim 42, further comprising:

external configuration information stored in a root node of the server.

45. The server of claim 42, further comprising:

the external configuration information of the first virtual server and the external configuration information of the second virtual server stored in the global repository.

46. The server of claim 42, further comprising:

storage device storage maintained as an external resource.

47. The server of claim 46, further comprising:

a RAID system used as the storage device storage.

48. A computer apparatus, comprising:

external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers stored in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers stored in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual serve, private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

a plurality of soft objects configured to provide a mapping to resources, the soft objects residing in a memory of the computer and accessible by processing elements of the computer, wherein the plurality of soft objects are each a data structure that point dynamically to adjustable portions of the resources, wherein the resources include the one or more units of storage and one or more network addresses of at least one network interface; and

a context structure created for a selected virtual server, the context structure storing a list of the soft objects assigned to the virtual server to thereby provide a level of indirection that enables flexibility when allocating the resources to the virtual server.

49. A method for allocating resources among one or more virtual servers of a computer, comprising:

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

mapping one or more pointers to the resources, the pointers residing in a memory of the computer and accessible by processing elements of the computer; and

assigning at least one of the pointers of the one or more pointers to at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers to dynamically allocate the resources among the one or more virtual servers.

50. A method for maintaining a plurality of virtual servers on a computer, comprising:

storing external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

storing internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers in a private repository, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

storing soft objects in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server, the soft objects are referenced by the virtual server and the soft objects reference the one or more selected storage devices to enable the virtual server to make no change in its reference to stored data in the event that the stored data is moved from a first storage device to a second storage device of the one or more selected storage devices; and

executing a command on a processor of the computer, the command to change a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.

51. A computer having a plurality of virtual servers, comprising:

a global repository maintained on a storage device of the computer to store external configuration information of a selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers, the external configuration information describing external resources assigned to a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers;

a private repository to store internal configuration information of the selected virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers, the private repository stored in one or more units of storage assigned to the virtual server, the internal configuration information used to control operation of the selected virtual server, the private repository maintained on a private repository storage device of the computer;

soft objects stored in the private repository of the selected virtual server, the soft objects mapped to one or more selected storage devices of the server to assign the one or more selected storage devices to the selected virtual server, the soft objects are referenced by the virtual server and the soft objects reference the one or more selected storage devices to enable the virtual server to make no change in its reference to stored data in the event that the stored data is moved from a first storage device to a second storage device of the one or more selected storage devices; and

a processor of the computer to execute a command to change a mapping in the soft objects to change an assignment of storage devices to the selected virtual server.