Efficient updates for distributed file systems
First Claim
1. A system for utilizing directory services to provide efficient maintenance of metadata related to distributed file system (DFS) links, by maintaining metadata regarding each DFS link in a single DFS namespace as attributes of one or more corresponding distinct directory objects, the system comprising at least one processor and memory for storing a plurality of components comprising:
- a DFS root target component that hosts at least one DFS namespace that includes a plurality of DFS links, each DFS link aggregating a plurality of network resources, the DFS root target component providing access to the plurality of DFS links to one or more clients, the DFS root target component storing locally a copy of metadata related to each DFS link to provide the access, the metadata comprising information for accessing and managing each DFS link, including authentication information for accessing each DFS link and versioning information for synchronizing the metadata between the DFS root target component and a directory services directory; and
a directory component that provides the directory services directory and that synchronizes the metadata with the DFS root target component based on the versioning information, the directory component maintaining a distinct directory object for each of the plurality of DFS links in the at least one DFS namespace, each distinct directory object storing corresponding metadata related to a corresponding DFS link as one or more attributes of the distinct directory object, such that each of the plurality of DFS links of the at least one DFS namespace is represented by its own distinct directory object in the directory services directory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A directory services implementation is provided to associate distributed file system (DFS) links with individual directory objects, and metadata to attributes thereof, to allow leveraging directory services features for DFS for a given namespace. For example, updating directory objects with modified metadata related to DFS links requires only that the directory object related to the link be updated rather than an entire directory object related to the corresponding namespace. Moreover, directory services functionalities such as querying can be utilized with DFS to provide efficient location of updated records. In this regard, efficient replication of DFS throughout a network is facilitated.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for utilizing directory services to provide efficient maintenance of metadata related to distributed file system (DFS) links, by maintaining metadata regarding each DFS link in a single DFS namespace as attributes of one or more corresponding distinct directory objects, the system comprising at least one processor and memory for storing a plurality of components comprising:
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a DFS root target component that hosts at least one DFS namespace that includes a plurality of DFS links, each DFS link aggregating a plurality of network resources, the DFS root target component providing access to the plurality of DFS links to one or more clients, the DFS root target component storing locally a copy of metadata related to each DFS link to provide the access, the metadata comprising information for accessing and managing each DFS link, including authentication information for accessing each DFS link and versioning information for synchronizing the metadata between the DFS root target component and a directory services directory; and a directory component that provides the directory services directory and that synchronizes the metadata with the DFS root target component based on the versioning information, the directory component maintaining a distinct directory object for each of the plurality of DFS links in the at least one DFS namespace, each distinct directory object storing corresponding metadata related to a corresponding DFS link as one or more attributes of the distinct directory object, such that each of the plurality of DFS links of the at least one DFS namespace is represented by its own distinct directory object in the directory services directory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, implemented at a computing system that includes one or more processors, for utilizing directory services to provide efficient maintenance of metadata related to distributed file system (DFS) links, by maintaining metadata regarding each DFS link in a single DFS namespace as attributes of one or more distinct directory objects, the method comprising:
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an act of the computing system receiving metadata related to a first DFS link included in a plurality of DFS links that are associated with a single DFS namespace, the metadata comprising information for accessing and managing the first DFS link, including authentication information for accessing the first DFS link and versioning information for synchronizing the metadata between a directory services directory and a DFS root target that stores a local copy of the metadata; an act of the computing system storing the received metadata as attributes of one or more first distinct directory objects that uniquely correspond to the first DFS link, the one or more first distinct directory objects included in a plurality of directory objects stored in the directory services directory, each of the plurality of directory objects related to one of the plurality of DFS links associated with the single DFS namespace, such that each of the plurality of DFS links associated with the single DFS namespace is represented by its own one or more distinct directory objects stored in the directory services directory; and an act of the computing system providing access to the first DFS link by utilizing the attributes of the related one or more distinct directory objects to generate the link, the first DFS link usable by the DFS root target to provide access to the first link to one or more clients. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
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17. One or more computer readable storage device storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computing processor, perform the following functionality:
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receiving metadata related to a first DFS link included in a plurality of DFS links that are associated with a single DFS namespace, the metadata comprising information for accessing and managing the first DFS link, including authentication information for accessing the first DFS link and versioning information for synchronizing the metadata between a directory services directory and a DFS root target that stores a local copy of the metadata; storing the received metadata as attributes of one or more first distinct directory objects that uniquely correspond to the first DFS link, the one or more first distinct directory objects included in a plurality of directory objects stored in the directory services directory, each of the plurality of directory objects related to one of the plurality of DFS links associated with the single DFS namespace, such that each of the plurality of DFS links associated with the single DFS namespace is represented by its own one or more distinct directory objects stored in the directory services directory; and providing access to the first DFS link by utilizing the attributes of the related one or more distinct directory objects to generate the link, the first DFS link usable by the DFS root target to provide access to the first link to one or more clients. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification