Storing data in a directory-less dispersed storage network

• US 9,495,118 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Baptist, Andrew, Motwani, Manish, Storm, Michael Colin, Volvovski, Ilya, Dhuse, Greg, Leggette, Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerveros, James C
• Application Number:
  US14/307,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 714/766
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0638 Organizing or formatting or addressing of data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/1515 Reed-Solomon codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) sending a plurality of sets of encoded data slices to DSN memory for storage in accordance with a plurality of sets of DSN data addresses. The method continues with the DS processing module generating retrieval data that is based on a data object number and data storage information. The method continues with the DS processing module dispersed storage error encoding the retrieval data to produce a set of encoded retrieval data slices and generating a set of DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and on retrieval data storage information. The method continues with the DS processing module sending the set of encoded retrieval data slices to the DSN memory for storage in accordance with the set of DSN retrieval data addresses.

Claims

1. A method for a directory-less file system within a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method is executable by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices and comprises:

sending a plurality of sets of encoded data slices to DSN memory for storage in accordance with a plurality of sets of DSN data addresses, wherein data is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein the data has a data name, wherein the plurality of sets of DSN data addresses is generated based on a data object number associated with the data and data storage information, and wherein the data name includes file system information;

generating retrieval data that is based on the data object number and the data storage information;

dispersed storage error encoding the retrieval data to produce a set of encoded retrieval data slices;

generating a set of DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and on retrieval data storage information; and

sending the set of encoded retrieval data slices to the DSN memory for storage therein in accordance with the set of DSN retrieval data addresses.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

utilizing a pseudo random number generator to produce the data object number; and

determining, the data storage information, from dispersed storage error encoding parameters that includes one or more of;

data segmenting information regarding segmenting the data into a plurality of data segments;

a total number of encoded data slices per set of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

a decode threshold number of encoded data slices per the set of encoded data slices;

a read threshold number of encoded data slices per the set of encoded data slices; and

a write threshold number of encoded data slices per the set of encoded data slices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the file system information comprises one or more of:

a user identifier;

a vault identifier; and

a file system path name for the data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the set of DSN retrieval data addresses comprises:

performing a deterministic function on the data name to produce a retrieval data object number; and

determining, the retrieval data storage information, from dispersed storage error encoding parameters that includes one or more of;

a total number of encoded retrieval data slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices;

a decode threshold number of encoded retrieval data slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices;

a read threshold number of encoded retrieval data slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices; and

a write threshold number of encoded retrieval data slices for the set of encoded retrieval data slices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining to store multiple copies of the set of encoded retrieval data slices;

identifying multiple sets of storage units of the DSN memory for storing the multiple copies; and

for each copy of the multiple copies;

generating a unique set of DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name, on the retrieval data storage information, and on a corresponding one of the multiple sets of storage units; and

sending the set of encoded retrieval data slices to the corresponding one of the multiple sets of storage units for storage in accordance with the unique set of DSN retrieval data addresses.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises:

the multiple sets of storage units being part of a logical storage vault within the DSN memory, wherein a first set of storage units of the set of storage units corresponds to a first generation of the DSN memory and a second set of storage units of the set of storage units corresponds to a second generation of the DSN memory.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a read request regarding the data, wherein the read request regarding the data includes the data name;

estimating likely retrieval data storage information;

generating likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and the likely retrieval data storage information;

sending read requests to the likely DSN retrieval data addresses; and

when favorable responses to the read requests have been received;

reconstructing the retrieval data; and

utilizing the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the estimating the likely retrieval data storage information comprises one or more of:

determining a logical DSN address to physical storage device mapping;

determining historical use patterns of the DSN memory; and

determining historical storage patterns of a requesting entity that is requesting the read request.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprises:

when favorable responses to the read requests have not been received;

estimating a second likely retrieval data storage information;

generating second likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and the second likely retrieval data storage information;

sending second read requests to the second likely DSN retrieval data addresses; and

when favorable responses to the second read requests have been received;

reconstructing the retrieval data; and

utilizing the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprises:

estimating a second likely retrieval data storage information;

generating second likely DSN retrieval data addresses based on the data name and the second likely retrieval data storage information;

sending second read requests to the second likely DSN retrieval data addresses;

when favorable responses to either of the read requests or the second read requests have been received;

reconstructing the retrieval data; and

utilizing the retrieval data to reconstruct the data.