Distributed storage method and system

• US 8,745,102 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PLAiR Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PLAiR Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Hussain, Syed Saadullah, Wheeler, Todd Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US13/545,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for distributed storage systems. For example, a device can receive a read request for a first file, where the read request is generated by a host device. The read request is configured to access a file on the host device. The device can access mappings to identify a first mapping. The device can identify a first file on a mobile device based on the first mapping. The device can access the first file, where the accessing uses the first mapping. The device can access the first file by communicating with the mobile device to read the first file. The device can then return the first file.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a third device, a host read request for a first file, wherein

the host read request is generated by a first device, and

the host read request is configured to access a file on the first device;

accessing a plurality of mappings stored on the third device, wherein

the accessing identifies a first mapping of the plurality of mappings, and

the first mapping identifies the first file on a second device;

accessing the first file, wherein

the accessing the first file is performed using the first mapping, and

the accessing the first file comprises

communicating with the second device to read the first file, wherein

the communicating with the second device comprises

generating a second read request based on the host read request;

sending the second read request to the second device; and

receiving a response from the second device, wherein

the response comprises data indicated by the host read request; and

returning the first file to the first device, wherein

the returning is performed in response to the receiving of the host read request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a mapping of files to remote files, wherein

the files are associated with the first device,

the remote files are located on the second device, and

the first device and the second device are coupled together using at least one network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the host read request is received from the first device using a first network protocol,

the communicating with the second device is performed using a second network protocol, and

the first network protocol is different from the second network protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the second device is virtualized using one or more servers.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the creating the mapping comprises:

mapping a cluster of the second device to a socket of the first device, wherein

the socket is associated with a File Access Table (FAT) entry of the first device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the using the mapping comprises:

accessing, using the socket, the cluster of the second device, wherein

data associated with the cluster is stored using cloud storage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the accessing further identifies a second mapping of the plurality of mappings, and the second mapping identifies a second file;

and further comprising;

accessing the second file, wherein

the accessing the second file is performed using the second mapping.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors,

a host interface module configured to;

receive a host read request for a first file, wherein

the host read request is received from a first device, and

the host read request is configured to access a file on the first device;

a mapping module configured to;

access a plurality of mappings stored on the mapping module, wherein

the mapping module identifies a first mapping of the plurality of mappings, and

the first mapping identifies a first file on a second device; and

a communication module configured to;

access the first file, wherein

the accessing the first file is performed using the first mapping,

the accessing the first file using the first mapping comprises

generating a second read request based on the host read request;

sending the second read request to the second device; and

receiving a response from the second device, wherein

the response comprises data indicated by the host read request, and

wherein

the host interface module is further configured to return the first file to the first device, and

the host interface module is configured to return the first file in response to receipt of the host read request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mapping module is further configured to create a mapping of files to remote files, wherein

the files are associated with the first device,

the remote files are located on the second device, and

the first device and the second device are coupled together using at least one network.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein

the communication module is coupled to the first device using a first network,

the read request is received from the first device over the first network,

the communication module is coupled to the second device using a second network,

the communication module communicates with the second device over the second network, and

the first network is different from the second network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

the second device is virtualized using one or more servers.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein

the mapping module is further configured to map a cluster of the second device to a socket of the communication module,

the plurality of mappings correspond to File Access Table (FAT) entries, and

the socket is associated with at least one FAT entry.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

the communication module is further configured to access, using the socket, the cluster, wherein

data associated with the cluster is stored using cloud storage.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive, at a third device, a host read request for a first file, wherein

the host read request is generated by a first device, and

the host read request is configured to access a file on the first device,

a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to access a plurality of mappings stored on the third device, wherein

the accessing identifies a first mapping of the plurality of mappings, and

the first mapping identifies a first file on a second device,

a third set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to, access the first file, wherein

the accessing the first file is performed using the first mapping, and

the accessing the first file comprises

communicating with the second device to read the first file, wherein

the communicating with the second device comprises

 

generating a second read request based on the host read request;

 

sending the second read request to the second device; and

 

receiving a response from the second device, wherein

 

the response comprises data indicated by the host read request, and

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to return the first file to the first device, wherein

the returning is performed in response to the receiving of the host read request; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

create a mapping of files to remote files, wherein

the files are associated with the first device,

the remote files are located on the second device, and

the first device and the second device are coupled together using at least one network.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein

the host read request is received from the first device using a first network protocol,

the communicating with the second device is performed using a second network protocol, and

the first network protocol is different from the second network protocol.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein

the creating the mapping is performed by the third device,

the third device is coupled to the first device, and

the third device is configured to receive host read requests and return data in response to receiving each of the host read requests.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the using the mapping comprises:

mapping a cluster of the second device to a socket of the third device, and

accessing, using the socket, the cluster of the second device, wherein

data associated with the cluster is stored using cloud storage.