Network-attached storage gateway validation

• US 9,660,962 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Inventors: McKinion, James Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, CHAU D
• Application Number:
  US14/864,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/192 Implementing virtual folder structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

An indication to validate operation of a network-attached storage gateway is received. The network-attached storage gateway communicatively couples a client and an object store. a virtual namespace is generated based, at least in part, on a network-based file system implemented by the network-attached storage gateway. A first file system entity is selected from the virtual namespace. A first identifier of the first object in the object store is determined. The first object corresponds to the first file system entity. The first object is retrieved from the object store based, at least in part, on the first identifier. The first object is retrieved by bypassing the network-attached storage gateway. It is determined whether the first object matches the first file system entity.

Claims

1. A method for validating operation of a network-attached storage gateway, the method comprising:

receiving, by a validation module, an indication to validate operation of a network-attached storage gateway, wherein the network-attached storage gateway communicatively couples a client and an object store;

generating, by the validation module, a virtual namespace based, at least in part, on a network-based file system implemented by the network-attached storage gateway;

selecting, by the validation module, a first file system entity from the virtual namespace;

determining, by the validation module, a first identifier of a first object in the object store, wherein the first object corresponds to the first file system entity;

retrieving, by the validation module, the first object from the object store based, at least in part, on the first identifier, wherein the first object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the network-attached storage gateway; and

determining, by the validation module, whether the first object matches the first file system entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to receiving the indication to validate operation of the network-attached storage gateway, determining that dynamic validation of the network-attached storage gateway should be performed;

determining a file system entity type associated with the first file system entity;

determining a plurality of operations associated with the file system entity type;

selecting an operation of the plurality of operations to perform on the network-based file system; and

performing the operation on the network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein retrieving the first object from the object store is in response to performing the operation on the network-based file system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the operation to perform on the network-based file system comprises selecting the operation based, at least in part, on an expected operation profile of the network-based file system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an operation to perform on the network-based file system;

identifying a file system entity type associated with the operation;

identifying a plurality of file system entities from the virtual namespace, wherein each of the plurality of file system entities corresponds to the file system entity type; and

performing the operation on the network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein selecting the first file system entity comprises, selecting the first file system entity from the plurality of file system entities.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the virtual namespace comprises:

traversing the network-based file system; and

storing an inode number and a name corresponding to each file system entity of the network-based file system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first identifier of the first object comprises:

determining an inode number associated with a second file system entity, wherein the second file system entity is a parent of the first file system entity; and

determining a name of the first file system entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first object matches the first file system entity comprises:

determining a file system entity type corresponding to the first file system entity;

identifying a file system entity attribute associated with the first file system entity based, at least in part, on the virtual namespace;

determining whether a first value for the file system entity attribute matches a second value for the file system entity attribute, wherein the first object comprises the first value and the virtual namespace comprises the second value;

in response to determining that the first value does not match the second value, indicating that at least one of the first object or the first file system entity is not valid; and

in response to determining that the first value matches the second value, indicating that the first object and the first file system entity are valid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object comprises a namespace object, the method further comprising:

determining a second identifier of a second object in the object store, wherein the second object comprises a data object corresponding to the first file system entity;

retrieving the second object from the object store based, at least in part, on the second identifier, wherein the second object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the network-attached storage gateway; and

determining whether the second object matches the first file system entity.

9. One or more machine readable storage media having program code stored therein, the program code comprising instructions to:

receive an indication to validate operation of a first network-attached storage gateway, wherein the first network-attached storage gateway communicatively couples a client and an object store;

generate a virtual namespace based, at least in part, on a first network-based file system implemented by the first network-attached storage gateway;

select a first file system entity from the virtual namespace;

determine a first identifier of a first object in the object store, wherein the first object corresponds to the first file system entity;

retrieve the first object from the object store based, at least in part, on the first identifier, wherein the first object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the first network-attached storage gateway; and

determine whether the first object matches the first file system entity.

10. The machine readable storage media of claim 9 further comprising instructions to:

in response to receiving of the indication to validate operation of the first network-attached storage gateway, determine that dynamic validation of the first network-attached storage gateway should be performed;

determine a file system entity type associated with the first file system entity;

determine a plurality of operations associated with the file system entity type;

select an operation of the plurality of operations to perform on the first network-based file system; and

perform the operation on the first network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein the instructions to retrieve the first object from the object store comprise instructions to retrieve the first object from the object store in response to performing the operation of the first network-based file system.

11. The machine readable storage media of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:

select an operation to perform on the network-based file system;

identify a file system entity type associated with the operation;

identify a plurality of file system entities from the virtual namespace, wherein each of the plurality of file system entities corresponds to the file system entity type; and

perform the operation on the network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein the instructions to select the first file system entity comprise instructions to select the first file system entity from the plurality of file system entities.

12. The machine readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to generate the virtual namespace comprise instructions to:

traverse the first network-based file system; and

store an inode number and a name corresponding to each file system entity of the first network-based file system.

13. The machine readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine whether the first object matches the first file system entity comprise instructions to:

determine a file system entity type corresponding to the first file system entity;

identify a file system entity attribute associated with the first file system entity based, at least in part, on the virtual namespace;

determine whether a first value for the file system entity attribute matches a second value for the file system entity attribute, wherein the first object comprises the first value and the virtual namespace comprises the second value;

in response to a determination that the first value does not match the second value, indicate that at least one of the first object or the first file system entity is not valid; and

in response to determination that the first value matches the second value, indicate that the first object and the first file system entity are valid.

14. The machine readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the first object comprises a namespace object, the machine readable storage media further comprising instructions to:

determine a second identifier of a second object in the object store, wherein the second object comprises a data object corresponding to the first file system entity;

retrieve the second object from the object store based, at least in part, on the second identifier, wherein the second object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the first network-attached storage gateway; and

determine whether the second object matches the first file system entity.

15. The machine readable storage media of claim 9 further comprising instructions to:

identify a second network-attached storage gateway, wherein the first network-attached storage gateway and the second network-attached storage gateway comprise a distributed set of network-attached storage gateways;

determine whether a second file system entity is available for validation, wherein the second file system entity is associated with a second network-based file system implemented by the second network-attached storage gateway; and

in response to a determination that the second file system entity is available for validation, validating the second file system entity based, at least in part, on a third file system entity, wherein the third file system entity is associated with the first network-based file system.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a machine readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to,

receive an indication to validate operation of a network-attached storage gateway, wherein the network-attached storage gateway communicatively couples a client and an object store;

generate a virtual namespace based, at least in part, on a network-based file system implemented by the network-attached storage gateway;

select a first file system entity from the virtual namespace;

determine a first identifier of a first object in the object store, wherein the first object corresponds to the first file system entity;

retrieve the first object from the object store based, at least in part, on the first identifier, wherein the first object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the network-attached storage gateway; and

determine whether the first object matches the first file system entity.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the machine readable medium further comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

in response to receiving of the indication to validate operation of the network-attached storage gateway, determine that dynamic validation of the network-attached storage gateway should be performed;

determine a file system entity type associated with the first file system entity;

determine a plurality of operations associated with the file system entity type;

select an operation of the plurality of operations to perform on the network-based file system; and

perform the operation on the network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein the program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to retrieve the first object from the object store comprise program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to retrieve the first object from the object store in response to performing the operation of the network-based file system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the machine readable medium further comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

select an operation to perform on the network-based file system;

identify a file system entity type associated with the operation;

identify a plurality of file system entities from the virtual namespace, wherein each of the plurality of file system entities corresponds to the file system entity type; and

perform the operation on the network-based file system, wherein the first file system entity is modified by the operation;

wherein the program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to select the first file system entity comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to select the first file system entity from the plurality of file system entities.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to determine whether the first object matches the first file system entity comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

determine a file system entity type corresponding to the first file system entity;

identify a file system entity attribute associated with the first file system entity based, at least in part, on the virtual namespace;

determine whether a first value for the file system entity attribute matches a second value for the file system entity attribute, wherein the first object comprises the first value and the virtual namespace comprises the second value;

in response to a determination that the first value does not match the second value, indicate that at least one of the first object or the first file system entity is not valid; and

in response to determination that the first value matches the second value, indicate that the first object and the first file system entity are valid.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first object comprises a namespace object wherein the machine readable medium further comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:

determine a second identifier of a second object in the object store, wherein the second object comprises a data object corresponding to the first file system entity;

retrieve the second object from the object store based, at least in part, on the second identifier, wherein the second object is retrieved from the object store by bypassing the network-attached storage gateway; and

determine whether the second object matches the first file system entity.