Optimized disk repository for the storage and retrieval of mostly sequential data

• US 20040044705A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetApp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alacritus, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Yafen Peggy, Johnston, Craig Anthony, Trimmer, Don Alvin, Lau, Jerry Kai, Stager, Roger Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A system for the storage and retrieval of data files includes a data disk, a configuration disk and a controller. Each data file includes one or more data blocks, each data block comprising a data section. The data disk stores the data blocks and is divided into a plurality of block groups. The configuration disk stores a copy of at least a portion of the corresponding meta-data. The controller controls both the data disk and the configuration disk.

Claims

1. A system for the storage and retrieval of data files, each data file comprising one or more data blocks, each data block comprising a data section and a corresponding meta-data section, the system comprising:

a data disk for storing said data blocks;

said data disk being divided into a plurality of block groups;

a configuration disk for storing a copy of at least a portion of said corresponding meta-data; and

a controller for controlling both said data disk and said configuration disk.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller directs for storage of a first data block of a first data file in a first block group of said plurality of block groups and sequentially stores each subsequent data block for the first data file in the first block group.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said controller directs for storage data blocks of a second data file sequentially in a second block group of said plurality of block groups.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein each data block within said first data file receives a unique sequence number.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the data blocks within said first data file are each assigned a-sequence number in a continuously ascending sequence.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said meta-data comprises at least a header and a trailer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said meta-data is contained with said data block.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said meta-data is contained with said data block.

8. A disaster recovery system for the storage and retrieval of data blocks, each data block having a data section and a corresponding meta-data section, the meta-data section comprising a header portion and a trailer portion, the system comprising:

a data disk for storing at least one data block, said data disk being divided into a plurality of block groups;

a configuration disk, for storing a copy of at least a part of said meta-data in said header portion when storage of a data block in said data disk commences, and storing at least a part of said meta-data in said trailer portion when storage of the data block in said data disk is completed; and

a controller, for controlling said data disk and said configuration disk;

whereby, upon disaster recovery, said controller matches each said copy of said header portion with said copy of said corresponding trailer portion in said configuration disk to confirm the accurate storage of a data block.

9. A method for the storage and retrieval of data files, each data file comprising one or more data blocks, each data block comprising a data section and a corresponding meta-data section, the system comprising:

storing said data blocks on a data disk;

said data disk being divided into a plurality of block groups; and

storing a copy of at least a portion of said corresponding meta-data on a configuration disk.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising directing for storage a first data block of a first data file in a first block group of said plurality block groups and sequentially storing each subsequent data block for the first data file in the first block group.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising directing for storage data blocks of a second data file sequentially in a second block group of said plurality of block groups.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising assigning each data block within said first data file a unique sequence number.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising assigning the data blocks within said first data file a sequence number in a continuously ascending sequence.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said meta-data comprises at least a header and a trailer.

16. A disaster recovery method for the storage and retrieval of data blocks, each data block having a data section and a corresponding meta-data section, the meta-data section comprising a header portion and a trailer portion, the method comprising:

storing on a data disk at least one data block, said data disk being divided into a plurality of block groups;

storing on a configuration disk a copy of at least a part of said meta-data in said header portion when storage of a data block in said data disk commences, and storing at least a part of said meta-data in said trailer portion when storage of the data block in said data disk is completed; and

controlling said data disk and said configuration disk upon disaster recovery to match each said copy of said header portion with said copy of said corresponding trailer portion in said configuration disk to confirm the accurate storage of a data block.

17. A system for the storage and retrieval of data files, each data file comprising one or more data blocks, each data block comprising a data section and a corresponding meta-data section, the system comprising:

a plurality of removable data disks for storing said data blocks, each of said data disks being divided into a plurality of block groups;

a configuration disk for storing a copy of at least a portion of said corresponding meta-data; and

a controller for controlling both of said data disks and said configuration disk;

whereby one of said plurality of data disks may be removed without affecting access to the data blocks on other data disks.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said controller directs for storage of a first data block of a first data file in a first block group of said plurality of block groups and sequentially stores each subsequent data block for the first data file in the first block group.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of configuration disks.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said plurality of configuration disks may be removed without affecting access to the data blocks on said plurality of data disks.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of removable data disks may be dynamically removed and replaced with new removable data disks without affecting operation of the system.