Per file system usage of networks

• US 8,171,106 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gunda, Kalyan C., Shah, Gautam Haridas, Chaudhary, Puneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMARTH, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US12/333,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 709/214, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• 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]

Abstract

A method, information processing system, and computer program product access data in a system. The system includes a plurality of Network Shared Disk servers and at least one set of Network Shared Disks. Each of the Network Shared Disks are served by at least one of the Network Shared Disk servers across a multiple networks. Configuration data that includes information indicating which of the networks is associated with each of the Network Shared Disks for the one node is analyzed. A first of the Network Shared Disks to be accessed is identified. One of the networks that is associated with the first Network Shared Disk is selected based on the configuration data. The first Network Shared Disk is accessed via the one network that was selected.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data in a system, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing, by one node in a cluster of nodes, configuration data that includes at least network access information indicating which of a plurality of physical networks is associated with each file system in a plurality of file systems, at least one file system in the plurality of files systems being associated with at least two different physical networks in the plurality of physical networks, and the plurality of file systems residing in a Network Shared Disk of at least one set of Network shared disks for the one node, each of the Network Shared Disks being served by at least one Network Shared Disk server of a plurality of Network Shared Disk servers across the plurality of networks, the cluster of nodes being separate and distinct from the plurality of Network Shared Disk servers;

identifying, by the one node, a first file system of the plurality of file systems to be accessed;

identifying, by the one node, a first physical network from the plurality of physical networks that is associated with the first file system based on the network access information;

selecting, by the one node, the first physical network from at least two of the physical networks that are associated with the first file system; and

accessing, by the one node, the first file system via the first physical network that was selected.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a subnet that the one node is on;

determining, from the configuration data, which of the Network Shared Disk servers are on the subnet that the on node is on; and

selecting one of the Network Shared Disk servers from the Network Shared Disk servers that are determined to be on the subnet that the one node is on.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Network Shared Disks use a General Parallel File System.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying, by the one node, a second file system to be accessed;

selecting, by the one node, a second physical network from the plurality physical networks that is associated with the second file system based on the configuration data; and

accessing, by the one node, the second file system via the second physical network that was selected,

wherein the second physical network is different than the first physical network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network access information indicates the physical network that is to be selected by the one node for accessing each of the file systems in the plurality of file systems.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

receiving new network access information comprising information indicating at least one other physical network that is to be selected for accessing at least the first file system; and

updating the configuration data based on the new network access information,

wherein the other physical network is different than the first physical network.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, by the one node, the other physical network that is associated with the first file system based on the configuration data; and

accessing, by the one node, the first file system via the other physical network that was selected.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, by a second node in the cluster of nodes, a second of the physical networks that is associated with the first file system based on the configuration data; and

accessing, by the second node, the first file system via the second physical network that was selected,

wherein the second physical network is different than the first physical network.

9. An information processing system for accessing data in a system, the information processing system comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a data access manager coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the data access manager is configured to;

analyze configuration data that includes at least network access information indicating which of a plurality of physical networks is associated with each file system in a plurality of file systems, at least one file system in the plurality of files systems being associated with at least two different physical networks in the plurality of physical networks, and the plurality of file systems residing in a Network Shared Disk of at least one set of Network shared disks for the information processing system, each of the Network Shared Disks being served by at least one Network Shared Disk server of a plurality of Network Shared Disk servers across the plurality of networks;

identify a first file system of the plurality of file systems to be accessed;

identify a first physical network from the plurality of physical networks that is associated with the first file system based on the network access information;

select the first physical network from at least two of the physical networks that are associated with the first file system; and

access first file system via the first physical network that was selected.

10. The information processing system of claim 9, wherein the data access manager is further configured to:

determine a subnet that the information processing system is on;

determine, from the configuration data, which of the Network Shared Disk servers are on the subnet that the information processing system is on; and

select one of the Network Shared Disk servers from the Network Shared Disk servers that are determined to be on the subnet that the information processing system is on.

11. The information processing system of claim 9, the data access manager is further configured to:

identify a second file system to be accessed;

select a second physical network from the plurality the physical networks that is associated with the second file system based on the configuration data; and

access the second file system via the second physical network that was selected,

wherein the second physical network is different than the first physical network.

12. The information processing system of claim 9, wherein the network access information indicates the physical network that is to be selected by the one node for accessing each of the file system in the plurality of file systems.

13. The information processing system of claim 12, wherein the data access manager is further configured to:

receive new network access information comprising information indicating at least one other physical network that is to be selected for accessing at least the first file system; and

update the configuration data based on the new network access information,

wherein the other physical network is different than the first physical network.

14. The information processing system of claim 13, wherein the data access manager is further configured to:

select the other physical network that is associated with the first file system based on the configuration data; and

access the first file system via the other physical network that was selected.

15. The information processing system of claim 9, wherein the data access manager is further configured to:

select a second of the physical networks that is associated with the first file system based on the configuration data; and

access the first file system via the second physical network that was selected, wherein the second physical network is different than the first physical network.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program for accessing data in a system, the program comprising instructions for:

analyzing, by at least one node in a cluster of nodes, configuration data that includes at least network access information indicating which of a plurality of physical networks is associated with each file system in a plurality of file systems, at least one file system in the plurality of files systems being associated with at least two different physical networks in the plurality of physical networks, and the plurality of file systems residing in a Network Shared Disk of at least one set of Network shared disks for the at least one node, each of the Network Shared Disks being served by at least one Network Shared Disk server of a plurality of Network Shared Disk servers across the plurality of networks, the cluster of nodes being separate and distinct from the plurality of Network Shared Disk servers;

identifying a first file system of the plurality of file systems to be accessed;

identifying, by the one node, a first physical network from the plurality of physical networks that is associated with the first file system based on the network access information;

selecting the first physical network from at least two of the physical networks that are associated with the first file system; and

accessing, by the one node, the first file system via the first physical network that was selected.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions for:

determining a subnet that the at least one node is on;

determining, from the configuration data, which of the Network Shared Disk servers are on the subnet that the at least one node is on; and

selecting one of the Network Shared Disk servers from the Network Shared Disk servers that are determined to be on the subnet that the at least one node is on.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program further comprises instructions for:

identifying a second file system to be accessed;

selecting a second physical network from the plurality physical networks that is associated with the second file system based on the configuration data; and

accessing the second file system via the second physical network that was selected,

wherein the second physical network is different than the first physical network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the network access information indicates the physical network that is to be selected by the one node for accessing each of the file system in the plurality of file systems.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program further comprises instructions for:

receiving new network access information comprising information indicating at least one other physical network that is to be selected for accessing at least the first file system; and

updating the configuration data based on the new network access information,

wherein the other physical network is different than the first physical network.