Managing global cache coherency and access permissions

• US 8,738,671 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2013
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Aronovich, Lior, Toaff, Yair, Paz, Gil, Asher, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Casanova, Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US13/733,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 707/826
• US Class Current: 707/826
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0802 Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0815 Cache consistency protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0828 with concurrent directory accessing, i.e. handling multiple concurrent coherency transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/084 with a shared cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• 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 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1865 Transactional file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/604 Details relating to cache allocation

Abstract

Systems. Methods, and Computer Program Products are provided managing a global cache coherency and reducing messaging traffic for coordination of access permissions in a distributed shared caching for a clustered file systems (CFS). The CFS manages access permissions to an entire space of the data segments by using the DSM module. In response to processing a request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments, including in a response message permission to access the one of the data segments, and deciding if one of a transfer of ownership, and most recent contents of the one of the data segments should be included in the response message for the permission to access the one of the data segments. The last two components of the response message depend upon availability of the one of the data segments that is requested in a local external cache.

Claims

1. A method for managing global cache coherency and access permissions in a distributed shared caching for clustered file systems (CFS) in a clustered file system in a computing environment, the method comprising:

providing the CFS for residing on a cluster of nodes for accessing space of data segments that are shared between the cluster of nodes;

providing, in the CFS, a local cache memory of data segment slots on each of the cluster of nodes and a distributed shared memory (DSM) module, with no internal memory for the data segments on each of the cluster of nodes, wherein the local cache memory acts as an external memory;

managing the access permissions to an entire space of the data segments by using the DSM module; and

while processing a request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments;

including in a response message a permission to access the one of the data segments, and

deciding if one of a transfer of ownership and most recent contents of the one of the data segments should be included in the response message for the permission to access the one of the data segments, wherein last two components of the response message depend upon availability of the one of the data segments that is requested in a local external cache.

2. The method of claim 1, further including adding contents of the one of the data segments in the response message only if the one of the data segments exists in the local external cache and the DSM module has a valid permission on the one of the data segments.

3. The method of claim 2, further including, if the response message does not include the contents of the one of the data segments, including in the response message both an indication that the contents of the one of the data segments are to be read from a disk by a remote DSM module and a transfer of ownership indication of the one of the data segments to the remote DSM module.

4. The method of claim 1, further including performing a flushing operation prior to sending the response message if ownership of the one of the data segments is transferred to a remote DSM module and the one of the data segments is in the local external cache and marked as modified.

5. The method of claim 4, further including clearing a modification indication for the one of the data segments.

6. The method of claim 1, further including determining if contents of the one of the data segments are the most recent.

7. The method of claim 1, further including receiving the request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments.

8. A system for managing a global cache coherency and access permissions in a distributed shared caching for a clustered file systems (CFS) in a clustered file system, the system comprising:

a cluster of nodes,

the CFS including the cluster of nodes forming a computer cluster,

data segments shared between the cluster of nodes, wherein the CFS resides on the cluster of nodes for accessing space of data segments that are shared between the cluster of nodes,

a distributed shared memory (DSM) module, with no internal memory for the data segments on each of the cluster of nodes within a node of the cluster of nodes,

a plurality of storage devices in communication with the CFS,

a local cache memory of data segment slots on each of the cluster of nodes are included in the CFS, wherein the local cache memory acts as an external memory,

a remote cache memory within each of the cluster of nodes, a

cache associated with the node,

a transaction journal associated with the CFS, and

a processor device having a memory coupled to the processor device for controlling the CFS, wherein the processor device is assigned to the node and the node is in communication with the plurality of storage devices, wherein the processor device;

manages the access permissions to an entire space of the data segments by using the DSM module; and

while processing a request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments;

includes in a response message a permission to access the one of the data segments, and

decides if one of a transfer of ownership and most recent contents of the one of the data segments should be included in the response message for the permission to access the one of the data segments, wherein last two components of the response message depend upon availability of the one of the data segments that is requested in a local external cache.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor device includes contents of the one of the data segments in the response message only if the one of the data segments exists in the local external cache and the DSM module has a valid permission on the one of the data segments.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor device, if the response message does not include the contents of the one of the data segments, includes in the response message both an indication that the contents of the one of the data segments are to be read from a disk by a remote DSM module and a transfer of ownership indication of the one of the data segments to the remote DSM module.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor device performs a flushing operation prior to sending the response message if ownership of the one of the data segments is transferred to a remote DSM module and the one of the data segments is in the local external cache and marked as modified.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor device clears a modification indication for the one of the data segments.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor device determines if contents of the one of the data segments are the most recent.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor device receives the request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments.

15. A computer program product for managing a global cache coherency and access permissions in a distributed shared caching for a clustered file systems (CFS) in a clustered file system using a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion that provides the CFS for residing on a cluster of nodes for accessing space of data segments that are shared between the cluster of nodes;

a second executable portion that provides, in the CFS, a local cache memory of data segment slots on each of the cluster of nodes and a distributed shared memory (DSM) module, with no internal memory for the data segments on each of the cluster of nodes, wherein the local cache memory acts as an external memory and is included in the CFS;

a third executable portion that manages a access permissions to an entire space of the data segments by using the DSM module; and

while processing a request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments, a fourth executable portion that;

includes in a response message a permission to access the one of the data segments, and

decides if one of a transfer of ownership and most recent contents of the one of the data segments should be included in the response message for the permission to access the one of the data segments, wherein last two components of the response message depend upon availability of the one of the data segments that is requested in a local external cache.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a fifth executable portion that includes contents of the one of the data segments in the response message only if the one of the data segments exists in the local external cache and the DSM module has a valid permission on the one of the data segments.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a fifth executable portion that, if the response message does not include the contents of the one of the data segments, includes in the response message both an indication that the contents of the one of the data segments are to be read from a disk by a remote DSM module and a transfer of ownership indication of the one of the data segments to the remote DSM module.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a fifth executable portion that performs a flushing operation prior to sending the response message if ownership of the one of the data segments is transferred to a remote DSM module and the one of the data segments is in the local external cache and marked as modified.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further including a sixth executable portion that clears a modification indication for the one of the data segments.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a fifth executable portion that determines if contents of the one of the data segments are the most recent.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a fifth executable portion that receives the request message from a remote DSM module to access one of the data segments.