Synchronization of structured information repositories
First Claim
1. A distributed information synchronization system, comprising:
- a first subsidiary node coupled to a network, the first subsidiary node including a first non-transitory computer-readable medium wherein the first computer-readable medium includes a first structured information repository, and wherein information in the first structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints;
a second subsidiary node coupled to a network, the second subsidiary node including a second non-transitory computer-readable medium wherein the second computer-readable medium includes a second structured information repository, and wherein information in the second structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints;
a repository synchronizer coupled to the first and second structured information repositories;
the repository synchronizer further including;
a consistency evaluation module to evaluate the differences between the first structured information repository and the second structured information repository;
an internal modification module to modify the internal structures of a structured information repository;
an external replication module to delete a target structured information repository and replace it with a replicated copy of a source structured information repository; and
a threshold comparator;
wherein the repository synchronizer;
evaluates the first and second structured information repositories, determines a level of difference based on one or more differences between the first and second structured information repositories, and compares the level of difference to a configurable threshold using the threshold comparator;
if the level of difference is above the configurable threshold, modifies the internal structures of a selected structured information repository using the internal modification module;
if the level of difference is below the configurable threshold, deletes the selected structured information repository and replace it with a replicated copy of a consistent structured information repository using the external replication module.
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Abstract
Several different embodiments of a massively scalable object storage system are described. The object storage system is particularly useful for storage in a cloud computing installation whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. In several embodiments, the object storage system includes a ring implementation used to associate object storage commands with particular physical servers such that certain guarantees of consistency, availability, and performance can be met. In other embodiments, the object storage system includes a synchronization protocol used to order operations across a distributed system. In a third set of embodiments, the object storage system includes a metadata management system. In a fourth set of embodiments, the object storage system uses a structured information synchronization system. Features from each set of embodiments can be used to improve the performance and scalability of a cloud computing object storage system.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A distributed information synchronization system, comprising:
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a first subsidiary node coupled to a network, the first subsidiary node including a first non-transitory computer-readable medium wherein the first computer-readable medium includes a first structured information repository, and wherein information in the first structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints; a second subsidiary node coupled to a network, the second subsidiary node including a second non-transitory computer-readable medium wherein the second computer-readable medium includes a second structured information repository, and wherein information in the second structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints; a repository synchronizer coupled to the first and second structured information repositories;
the repository synchronizer further including;a consistency evaluation module to evaluate the differences between the first structured information repository and the second structured information repository; an internal modification module to modify the internal structures of a structured information repository; an external replication module to delete a target structured information repository and replace it with a replicated copy of a source structured information repository; and a threshold comparator; wherein the repository synchronizer; evaluates the first and second structured information repositories, determines a level of difference based on one or more differences between the first and second structured information repositories, and compares the level of difference to a configurable threshold using the threshold comparator; if the level of difference is above the configurable threshold, modifies the internal structures of a selected structured information repository using the internal modification module; if the level of difference is below the configurable threshold, deletes the selected structured information repository and replace it with a replicated copy of a consistent structured information repository using the external replication module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for synchronizing structured information in a distributed system, comprising:
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storing a first structured information repository on a first non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein information in the first structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints; storing a second structured information repository on a second non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein information in the second structured information repository is subject to internal consistency constraints; evaluating the differences between the first structured information repository and the second structured information repository to determine a preferred state and a difference measurement quantifying a difference from the preferred state; determining whether the difference measurement exceeds a configurable threshold; modifying a selected structured information repository if the difference measurement for the selected structured information repository is less than the configurable threshold, wherein the modification of the selected structured information repository is subject to the internal consistency constraints of the selected structured information repository, deleting the selected structured information repository if the difference measurement for the selected structured information repository is greater than the configurable threshold, and replacing the selected structured information repository with a replica of a structured information repository in the preferred state, wherein either modifying the selected structured information repository or deleting and replacing the structured information repository changes the non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the selected structured information repository such that the selected structured information repository is both compliant with its internal consistency constraints and in the preferred state. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing executable instructions, which when executed on a processor:
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update a first structured information repository on a first non-transitory computer-readable medium, subject to internal consistency constraints; update a second structured information repository on a second non-transitory computer-readable medium, subject to internal consistency constraints; evaluate the differences between the first structured information repository and the second structured information repository to determine a preferred state and a difference measurement quantifying a difference from the preferred state; determine whether the difference measurement exceeds a configurable threshold; modify a selected structured information repository if the difference measurement for the selected structured information repository is less than the configurable threshold, subject to the internal consistency constraints of the selected structured information repository, delete the selected structured information repository if the difference measurement for the selected structured information repository is greater than the configurable threshold, and replace the selected structured information repository with a replica of a structured information repository in the preferred state. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification