Arrangements for managing metadata of an integrated logical unit including differing types of storage media

• US 8,392,685 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nonaka, Yusuke, Yamamoto, Akira, Matsunami, Naoto, Sonoda, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chace, Christian P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bertram, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/316,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 711/154, 711/165, 711170-173, 717/736
• US Class Current: 711/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

A file system including: a first type storage medium; a second type storage medium; and a processor providing a file system using a first area in the first type storage medium and a second area in the second type storage medium, wherein the processor manages whether metadata is permitted to be stored in each of the first area and second area, stores a first file and first metadata of the first file in the first area, which is managed to permit storing metadata, migrates the first file stored in the file system to the second area, which is managed not to permit storing metadata, and changes the first metadata stored in the first area to point to a location of the first file in the second area.

Claims

1. A file system comprising:

a first type storage medium;

a second type storage medium; and

a processor providing a file system using a first area in the first type storage medium and a second area in the second type storage medium,

wherein the processor is configured to manage the first and second type storage mediums to permit metadata to be stored in the first area but not to be stored in the second area, and wherein the processor is further configured to store a first file and first metadata of the first file in the first area, which is managed by the processor to permit storing metadata, to migrate the first file stored in the file system to the second area, which is managed by the processor not to permit storing metadata, without migrating the first metadata stored in the first area, and to change the first metadata stored in the first area to point to a location of the first file stored without the first metadata, in the second area.

2. The file system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor migrates the first file at a designated time.

3. The file system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor migrates the first file that is designated.

4. The file system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor frees up a former data area in which the first file is stored in the first area, after the first file is migrated to the second area.

5. The file system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second type storage medium is capable of storing metadata, and wherein the processor manages the second type storage medium to prohibit it from storing metadata in said second area.

6. The file system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the file system includes a table, arranged to be referred to by the processor for determining whether areas of the first type storage medium and the second type storage medium will be permitted to store metadata.

7. A file method implemented by a processor and for use with an arrangement including a first type storage medium and a second type storage medium, the method comprising:

providing a file system using a first area in the first type storage medium and a second area in the second type storage medium;

managing the first and second type storage mediums to permit metadata to be stored in the first area but not to be stored in the second area;

storing a first file and first metadata of the first file in the first area, which is managed to permit storing metadata;

migrating the first file stored in the file system to the second area, which is managed not to permit storing metadata, without migrating the first metadata stored in the first area; and

changing the first metadata stored in the first area to point to a location of the first file, stored without the first metadata, in the second area.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein in the migrating, the processor migrates the first file at a designated time.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein in the migrating, the processor migrates the first file that is designated.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising freeing up a former data area in which the first file is stored in the first area, after the first file is migrated to the second area.

11. The file system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the second type storage medium is capable of storing metadata, and wherein the processor manages the second type storage medium to prohibit it from storing metadata in said second area.

12. The file system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the file system includes a table, arranged to be referred to by the processor for determining whether areas of the first type storage medium and the second type storage medium will be permitted to store metadata.