Monitoring files in cloud-based networks

• US 8,660,996 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Darcy, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwivedi, Mahesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKES, KRIS E
• Application Number:
  US12/893,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 707/690
• US Class Current: 707/690
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for monitoring files in cloud-based networks. In particular, a file managing module can manage the access and retrieval of files stored in cloud-based networks on a distributed basis. In embodiments, the file managing module can receive a file access request from a requesting entity. The file managing module can use the file access request to determine a storage location mapped to a hash structure. Generation numbers associated with the both the storage location and the actual file at the storage location can be compared to determine whether the file has been unexpectedly modified or relocated. The file managing module can sync any discrepancy between the generation numbers and retrieve the file for the requesting entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor at a requesting entity, a request to access a file in a cloud-based network, wherein the request comprises an identifier of the file;

identifying a value in a hash structure at the requesting entity using the identifier of the file as a key into the hash structure, wherein the value comprises an initial link to a candidate storage location of the file in the cloud-based network, and wherein the initial link comprises a first generation number;

following the initial link to the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network, wherein the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network comprises an additional link;

following the additional link to an actual storage location of the file in the cloud-based network to access the file and examine a second generation number associated with the file;

updating the initial link in the value in the hash structure to point to the actual storage location of the file;

comparing the first generation number to the second generation number to determine whether the file has been relocated or modified by an entity other than the requesting entity; and

wherein the first generation number and the second generation number are counters that are incremented as the file is modified or relocated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number;

updating the first generation number in the initial link in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number; and

retrieving the file from the actual storage location in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number;

updating the first generation number in the initial link in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number; and

generating a notification indicating the mismatch in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updating the first generation number in the initial link comprises replacing the first generation number in the initial link with the second generation number.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a relocation of the file causes the first generation number to not match the second generation number.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein a modification of the file causes the first generation number to not match the second generation number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the value comprises utilizing consistent hashing to identify a storage device to which the candidate storage location is allocated.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first generation number matches the second generation number; and

retrieving the file from the actual storage location in response to determining that the first generation number matches the second generation number.

9. A system comprising:

an interface, at a requesting entity, to receive a request to access a file in a cloud-based network; and

a processor, at the requesting entity, to communicate with the interface to;

identify a value in a hash structure at the requesting entity using the identifier of the file as a key into the hash structure, wherein the value comprises an initial link to a candidate storage location of the file in the cloud-based network, and wherein the initial link comprises a first generation number;

follow the initial link to the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network, wherein the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network comprises an additional link;

follow the additional link to an actual storage location of the file in the cloud-based network to access the file and examine a second generation number associated with the file;

update the initial link in the value in the hash structure to point to the actual storage location of the file;

compare the first generation number to the second generation number to determine whether the file has been relocated or modified by an entity other than the requesting entity; and

wherein the first generation number and the second generation number are counters that are incremented as the file is modified or relocated.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to:

determine that the first generation number does not match the second generation number;

update the first generation number in the initial link in response to the determination that the first generation number does not match the second generation number; and

retrieve the file from the actual storage location in response to the determination that the first generation number does not match the second generation number.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to:

determine that the first generation number does not match the second generation number;

update the first generation number in the initial link in response to the determination that the first generation number does not match the second generation number; and

generate a notification that indicates the mismatch in response to the determination that the first generation number does not match the second generation number.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is to update the first generation number in the initial link by replacing the first generation number in the initial link with the second generation number.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a relocation of the file causes the first generation number to not match the second generation number.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein a modification of the file causes the first generation number to not match the second generation number.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is to identify the value by utilization of consistent hashing to identify a storage device to which the candidate storage location is allocated.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further to:

determine that the first generation number matches the second generation number; and

retrieve the file from the actual storage location in response to the determination that the first generation number matches the second generation number.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by the processor at a requesting entity, a request to access a file in a cloud-based network, wherein the request comprises an identifier of the file;

identifying a value in a hash structure at the requesting entity using the identifier of the file as a key into the hash structure, wherein the value comprises an initial link to a candidate storage location of the file in the cloud-based network, and wherein the initial link comprises a first generation number;

following the initial link to the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network, wherein the candidate storage location in the cloud-based network comprises an additional link;

following the additional link to an actual storage location of the file in the cloud-based network to access the file and examine a second generation number associated with the file;

updating the initial link in the value in the hash structure to point to the actual storage location of the file;

comparing the first generation number to the second generation number to determine whether the file has been relocated or modified by an entity other than the requesting entity; and

wherein the first generation number and the second generation number are counters that are incremented as the file is modified or relocated.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number;

updating the first generation number in the initial link in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number; and

generating a notification indicating the mismatch in response to determining that the first generation number does not match the second generation number.