Rule based aggregation of files and transactions in a switched file system

• US 8,195,769 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miloushev, Vladimir I., Nickolov, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tammy
• Application Number:
  US12/414,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/219, 709/217, 717/172
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1017 based on a round robin mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1025 Dynamic adaptation of the criteria on which the server selection is based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 : Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 : Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A switched file system, also termed a file switch, is logically positioned between client computers and file servers in a computer network. The file switch distributes user files among multiple file servers using aggregated file, transaction and directory mechanisms. The file switch distributes and aggregates the client data files in accordance with a predetermined set of aggregation rules. Each rule can be modified independently of the other rules. Different aggregation rules can be used for different types of files, thereby adapting the characteristics of the switched file system to the intended use and to the expected or historical access patterns for different data files.

Claims

1. A method of processing a user request to perform an operation on a user file, comprising:

receiving one or more user requests to perform a specified operation on a specified user file;

selecting, from among a group of rules, a rule applicable to the specified user file, each rule in the group of rules including at least one parameter specifying, for files to which the rule is applicable, how to distribute storage of each such file over the file servers in a group of file servers;

performing the specified operation in accordance with the selected rule, including, when the specified operation changes the size of the specified user file, sending commands to a plurality of the file servers so as to continue to distribute storage of the specified user file in accordance with the selected rule;

wherein the rules in the group of rules are ordered and wherein each rule in the group of rules has an associated range of files to which the rule is applicable; and

wherein the range of files for a particular rule in the group of rules is specified by files not falling within the range of any higher order rule and having one or more characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a striping parameter specifying a maximum size of file portions into which the user file is divided and wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a mirroring parameter specifying a number of instances of the user file to be stored on the file servers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a caching parameter selected from at least one of a read ahead caching parameter specifying whether read ahead caching is enabled for files to which the rule is applicable and a maximum cache size for caching any particular file to which the rule is applicable.

4. An apparatus for use in a computer network having a plurality of file servers and a plurality of client computers, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising;

receiving one or more user requests to perform a specified operation on a specified user file;

selecting, from among a group of rules, a rule applicable to the specified user file, each rule in the group of rules including at least one parameter specifying, for files to which the rule is applicable, how to distribute storage of each such file over the file servers in a group of file servers; and

performing the specified operation in accordance with the selected rule, including, when the specified operation changes the size of the specified user file, sending commands to a plurality of the file servers so as to continue to distribute storage of the specified user file in accordance with the selected rule;

wherein the rules in the group of rules are ordered and wherein each rule in the group of rules has an associated range of files to which the rule is applicable; and

wherein the range of files for a particular rule in the group of rules is specified by files not falling within the range of any higher order rule and having one or more characteristics.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a striping parameter specifying a maximum size of file portions into which the user file is divided and wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a mirroring parameter specifying a number of instances of the user file to be stored on the file servers.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a caching parameter selected from at least one of a read ahead caching parameter specifying whether read ahead caching is enabled for files to which the rule is applicable and a maximum cache size for caching any particular file to which the rule is applicable.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for processing a user request to perform an operation on a user file comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving one or more user requests to perform a specified operation on a specified user file;

selecting, from among a group of rules, a rule applicable to the specified user file, each rule in the group of rules including at least one parameter specifying, for files to which the rule is applicable, how to distribute storage of each such file over the file servers in a group of file servers;

performing the specified operation in accordance with the selected rule, including, when the specified operation changes the size of the specified user file, sending commands to a plurality of the file servers so as to continue to distribute storage of the specified user file in accordance with the selected rule;

wherein the rules in the group of rules are ordered and wherein each rule in the group of rules has an associated range of files to which the rule is applicable; and

wherein the range of files for a particular rule in the group of rules is specified by files not falling within the range of any higher order rule and having one or more characteristics.

8. The medium of claim 7 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a striping parameter specifying a maximum size of file portions into which the user file is divided and wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a mirroring parameter specifying a number of instances of the user file to be stored on the file servers.

9. The medium of claim 7 wherein each rule in the group of rules includes a caching parameter selected from at least one of a read ahead caching parameter specifying whether read ahead caching is enabled for files to which the rule is applicable and a maximum cache size for caching any particular file to which the rule is applicable.