Method and system for leasing storage

• US 20020116383A1
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Waldo, James H., Wollrath, Ann M., Arnold, Kenneth C.R.C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0261 using reference counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99957 Garbage collection

Abstract

A method and system for leasing storage locations in a distributed processing system is provided. Consistent with this method and system, a client requests access to storage locations for a period of time (lease period) from a server, such as the file system manager. Responsive to this request, the server invokes a lease period algorithm, which considers various factors to determine a lease period during which time the client may access the storage locations. After a lease is granted, the server sends an object to the client that advises the client of the lease period and that provides the client with behavior to modify the lease, like canceling the lease or renewing the lease. The server supports concurrent leases, exact leases, and leases for various types of access. After all leases to a storage location expire, the server reclaims the storage location.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system having storage, comprising the steps of:

receiving an access request from a caller specifying a portion of the storage and specifying a requested lease period;

determining a lease period during which the caller has access to the portion of the storage;

advising the caller of the determined lease period; and

permitting the caller to access the portion of the storage for the determined lease period.