Archiving data for a distributed filesystem
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for archiving data for a distributed filesystem, the method comprising:
- collectively managing the data of the distributed filesystem using two or more cloud controllers, wherein collectively managing the data comprises;
collectively presenting a unified namespace for the distributed filesystem to the clients of the distributed filesystem via the two or more cloud controllers, wherein the clients can only access the distributed filesystem via the cloud controllers, wherein the file data for the distributed filesystem is stored in a remote cloud storage system using encrypted, fixed-size cloud files, wherein each cloud controller caches a subset of the file data from the remote cloud storage system that is being actively accessed by that cloud controller'"'"'s respective clients, wherein all new file data received by each cloud controller from its clients is written to the remote cloud storage system via the receiving cloud controller;
maintaining at each cloud controller a copy of the complete metadata for all of the files stored in the distributed filesystem, wherein each cloud controller communicates any changes to the metadata for the distributed filesystem to the full set of cloud controllers for the distributed filesystem to ensure that the clients of the distributed filesystem share a consistent view of each file in the distributed filesystem;
upon receiving in a cloud controller new file data from a client, storing the new file data for the distributed filesystem in the remote cloud storage system, wherein the new file data includes two or more new files that are stored in a cloud file, wherein the cloud file is sent from the cloud controller to the remote cloud storage system as part of an incremental data snapshot; and
upon receiving confirmation that the cloud file has been successfully stored in the remote cloud storage system, sending from the cloud controller an incremental metadata snapshot that includes new metadata for the distributed filesystem that describes the new file data and links to the cloud file, wherein the incremental metadata snapshot is received by the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem;
at a subsequent time, determining from the metadata for the distributed filesystem that all of the file data stored in the cloud file is no longer actively referenced in the distributed filesystem; and
transferring the cloud file from the remote cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that archives data for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller determines that a cloud file in a previously stored data snapshot is no longer being actively referenced in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller transfers this cloud file from the (first) cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system, thereby reducing storage costs while preserving the data in the cloud file in case it is ever needed again.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for archiving data for a distributed filesystem, the method comprising:
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collectively managing the data of the distributed filesystem using two or more cloud controllers, wherein collectively managing the data comprises; collectively presenting a unified namespace for the distributed filesystem to the clients of the distributed filesystem via the two or more cloud controllers, wherein the clients can only access the distributed filesystem via the cloud controllers, wherein the file data for the distributed filesystem is stored in a remote cloud storage system using encrypted, fixed-size cloud files, wherein each cloud controller caches a subset of the file data from the remote cloud storage system that is being actively accessed by that cloud controller'"'"'s respective clients, wherein all new file data received by each cloud controller from its clients is written to the remote cloud storage system via the receiving cloud controller; maintaining at each cloud controller a copy of the complete metadata for all of the files stored in the distributed filesystem, wherein each cloud controller communicates any changes to the metadata for the distributed filesystem to the full set of cloud controllers for the distributed filesystem to ensure that the clients of the distributed filesystem share a consistent view of each file in the distributed filesystem; upon receiving in a cloud controller new file data from a client, storing the new file data for the distributed filesystem in the remote cloud storage system, wherein the new file data includes two or more new files that are stored in a cloud file, wherein the cloud file is sent from the cloud controller to the remote cloud storage system as part of an incremental data snapshot; and upon receiving confirmation that the cloud file has been successfully stored in the remote cloud storage system, sending from the cloud controller an incremental metadata snapshot that includes new metadata for the distributed filesystem that describes the new file data and links to the cloud file, wherein the incremental metadata snapshot is received by the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem; at a subsequent time, determining from the metadata for the distributed filesystem that all of the file data stored in the cloud file is no longer actively referenced in the distributed filesystem; and transferring the cloud file from the remote cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for archiving data from a distributed filesystem, the method comprising:
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collectively managing the data of the distributed filesystem using two or more cloud controllers, wherein collectively managing the data comprises; collectively presenting a unified namespace for the distributed filesystem to the clients of the distributed filesystem via the two or more cloud controllers, wherein the clients can only access the distributed filesystem via the cloud controllers, wherein the file data for the distributed filesystem is stored in a remote cloud storage system using encrypted, fixed-size cloud files, wherein each cloud controller caches a subset of the file data from the remote cloud storage system that is being actively accessed by that cloud controller'"'"'s respective clients, wherein all new file data received by each cloud controller from its clients is written to the remote cloud storage system via the receiving cloud controller; maintaining at each cloud controller a copy of the complete metadata for all of the files stored in the distributed filesystem, wherein each cloud controller communicates any changes to the metadata for the distributed filesystem to the full set of cloud controllers for the distributed filesystem to ensure that the clients of the distributed filesystem share a consistent view of each file in the distributed filesystem; upon receiving in a cloud controller new file data from a client, storing the new file data for the distributed filesystem in the remote cloud storage system, wherein the new file data includes two or more new files that are stored in a cloud file, wherein the cloud file is sent from the cloud controller to the remote cloud storage system as part of an incremental data snapshot; and upon receiving confirmation that the cloud file has been successfully stored in the remote cloud storage system, sending from the cloud controller an incremental metadata snapshot that includes new metadata for the distributed filesystem that describes the new file data and links to the cloud file, wherein the incremental metadata snapshot is received by the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem; at a subsequent time, determining from the metadata for the distributed filesystem that all of the file data stored in the cloud file is no longer actively referenced in the distributed filesystem; and transferring the cloud file from the remote cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cloud controller that archives data from a distributed filesystem, comprising:
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a processor; a storage mechanism that stores metadata for the distributed filesystem; and a storage management mechanism; wherein two or more cloud controllers collectively manage the data of the distributed filesystem, wherein collectively managing the data comprises; collectively presenting a unified namespace for the distributed filesystem to the clients of the distributed filesystem via the two or more cloud controllers, wherein the clients can only access the distributed filesystem via the cloud controllers, wherein the file data for the distributed filesystem is stored in a remote cloud storage system using encrypted, fixed-size cloud files, wherein each cloud controller caches a subset of the file data from the remote cloud storage system that is being actively accessed by that cloud controller'"'"'s respective clients, wherein all new file data received by each cloud controller from its clients is written to the remote cloud storage system via the receiving cloud controller; maintaining at each cloud controller a copy of the complete metadata for all of the files stored in the distributed filesystem, wherein each cloud controller communicates any changes to the metadata for the distributed filesystem to the full set of cloud controllers for the distributed filesystem to ensure that the clients of the distributed filesystem share a consistent view of each file in the distributed filesystem; upon receiving in a cloud controller new file data from a client, storing the new file data for the distributed filesystem in the remote cloud storage system, wherein the new file data includes two or more new files that are stored in a cloud file, wherein the cloud file is sent from the cloud controller to the remote cloud storage system as part of an incremental data snapshot; and upon receiving confirmation that the cloud file has been successfully stored in the remote cloud storage system, sending from the cloud controller an incremental metadata snapshot that includes new metadata for the distributed filesystem that describes the new file data and links to the cloud file, wherein the incremental metadata snapshot is received by the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem; wherein the storage management mechanism is configured to; at a subsequent time, determine from the metadata for the distributed filesystem that all of the file data stored in the cloud file is no longer actively referenced in the distributed filesystem; and transfer the cloud file from the remote cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system.
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Specification