Distributed file system consistency mechanism extension for enabling internet video broadcasting
First Claim
1. A method of communicating various file access read and write requests performed on a file located at an origin file server site within a distributed file system that includes multiple caching node sites to a plurality of applications running at different sites in the distributed file system, comprising:
- an origin file server site within a distributed file system;
receiving from each of a plurality of applications running at different sites in the distributed file system;
a request for notification whenever a file access request received at any site in the distributed file system triggers a notification, the request for notification containing;
a file descriptor identifying the file for which the application requests notification of file access requests; and
,a specification of the type of file access activity required to trigger a notification;
for the file identified by the file descriptor;
creating a notification attribute as an extended attribute for the file;
storing the request for notification within the notification attribute; and
employing a consistency mechanism of the distributed file system to ensure all images of the notification attribute at all sites currently accessing the file are the same; and
when any distributed file system site receives a request to access the file;
referencing each of the notification attributes to determine which of the different sites in the distributed file system at which the file is currently being accessed have requested a notification message; and
delivering a notification message to each of the different sites in the distributed file system that have requested a notification message.
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Abstract
The consistency callback mechanisms employed by local file systems such as NTFS and distributed file systems such as DDS, NFS and CIFS are extended to provide a shared memory foundation for efficiently broadcasting real-time high definition video from a source object to large numbers of viewers via the Internet. Distributed applications such as video viewing client applications establish connections to a common distributed file system object, and then each application registers with the underlying distributed file system to receive notifications whenever the video source modifies the source object. The data required to update images maintained by viewing clients is included in notification messages. The distributed file system employs a network of proxy cache nodes. Proxy cache nodes receive notification messages (complete with image update data) and update their cached images of the source object and then retransmit the notification messages towards the viewing clients using IP multicast techniques. In this manner, the distributed file system'"'"'s consistency mechanism efficiently employs network resources to enable the real-time distribution of video content streams.
4 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of communicating various file access read and write requests performed on a file located at an origin file server site within a distributed file system that includes multiple caching node sites to a plurality of applications running at different sites in the distributed file system, comprising:
an origin file server site within a distributed file system; receiving from each of a plurality of applications running at different sites in the distributed file system; a request for notification whenever a file access request received at any site in the distributed file system triggers a notification, the request for notification containing; a file descriptor identifying the file for which the application requests notification of file access requests; and
,a specification of the type of file access activity required to trigger a notification; for the file identified by the file descriptor; creating a notification attribute as an extended attribute for the file; storing the request for notification within the notification attribute; and employing a consistency mechanism of the distributed file system to ensure all images of the notification attribute at all sites currently accessing the file are the same; and when any distributed file system site receives a request to access the file; referencing each of the notification attributes to determine which of the different sites in the distributed file system at which the file is currently being accessed have requested a notification message; and delivering a notification message to each of the different sites in the distributed file system that have requested a notification message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification