Forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system in a computing device, wherein the storage management systems of multiple computing devices manage front-end caches for data stored in a network storage system, the method comprising:
- receiving a request to perform a file operation from a client computing device via a network;
issuing one or more filesystem operations associated with the request;
using a filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information from the one or more filesystem operations;
forwarding the filesystem-level information to the storage management system, wherein the storage management system communicates with a second storage management system of a second computing device to ensure data consistency for the data stored by the network storage system; and
wherein using the filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information facilitates maintaining data consistency for the network storage system while providing multiple client computing devices transparent, shared access to the network storage system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system. During operation, a computing device receives a request for a file operation from a client computing device, and issues one or more filesystem operations in response. A filesystem device driver extracts filesystem-level information from these filesystem operations, and then forwards the extracted filesystem-level information to the storage management system.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system in a computing device, wherein the storage management systems of multiple computing devices manage front-end caches for data stored in a network storage system, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to perform a file operation from a client computing device via a network; issuing one or more filesystem operations associated with the request; using a filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information from the one or more filesystem operations; forwarding the filesystem-level information to the storage management system, wherein the storage management system communicates with a second storage management system of a second computing device to ensure data consistency for the data stored by the network storage system; and wherein using the filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information facilitates maintaining data consistency for the network storage system while providing multiple client computing devices transparent, shared access to the network storage system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system in a computing device, wherein the storage management systems of multiple computing devices manage front-end caches for data stored in a network storage system, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to perform a file operation from a client computing device via a network; issuing one or more filesystem operations associated with the request; using a filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information from the one or more filesystem operations; forwarding the filesystem-level information to the storage management system, wherein the storage management system communicates with a second storage management system of a second computing device to ensure data consistency for the data stored by the network storage system; and wherein using the filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information facilitates maintaining data consistency for the network storage system while providing multiple client computing devices transparent, shared access to the network storage system. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computing device that facilitates forwarding filesystem-level information to a storage management system, comprising:
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a processor; a receiving mechanism configured to receive a request to perform a file operation from a client computing device; and a storage management mechanism configured to manage file data associated with the request in the computing device and a network storage system, wherein the storage management systems of multiple computing devices manage front-end caches for data stored in the network storage system; wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to issue one or more filesystem operations in response to the request; wherein a filesystem device driver executing on the processor extracts filesystem-level information from the one or more filesystem operations; and wherein the filesystem device driver is configured to forward the filesystem-level information to the storage management mechanism, wherein the storage management system communicates with a second storage management system of a second device to ensure data consistency for the data stored by the network storage system; and wherein using the filesystem device driver to extract filesystem-level information facilitates maintaining data consistency for the network storage system while providing multiple client computing devices transparent, shared access to the network storage system.
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18. A computer-implemented method for using a guest operating system to forward filesystem-level information to a storage management system in a computing device, the method comprising:
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executing a guest operating system on a virtual machine that operates within a host operating system on the computing device, wherein the computing device serves as a front-end cache for a network storage system, wherein the network storage system stores data that is being simultaneously accessed by the computing device and a second computing device, wherein the two computing devices cache data stored in the network storage system, wherein the guest operating system includes a CIFS server implementation, wherein the storage management system of the computing device communicates with a second storage management system executing on the second computing device to ensure data consistency for the data stored by the network storage system; receiving in the guest operating system a request to perform a CIFS file operation from a client computing device; using a filesystem device driver for the guest operating system to forward filesystem-level information associated with the request to the host operating system; and using the forwarded information in the storage management system to manage file data associated with the request in the computing device, the second computing device, and the network storage system; wherein managing file data associated with the request in the storage management system facilitates simultaneously accessing the same data set via multiple CIFS requests that are routed to different computing devices.
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Specification