Switching system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a digital processing system comprising at least two NAS servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
- replicating a least a subset of data on a NAS server on at least one other NAS server to create a replicated storage domain, receiving file system requests from at least one client, if the file system request is a read request, directing the read request to a server in the replicated storage domain, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function, if the file system request is a write request, (1) multicasting the write request to each of the individual servers included in the replicated storage domain, to maintain substantial data synchronization across the replicated storage domain, and (2) receiving, from at least one of the servers in the replicated storage domain, a response to the received file system request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are improved methods, devices and systems for storage management in digital networks.
208 Citations
42 Claims
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1. In a digital processing system comprising at least two NAS servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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replicating a least a subset of data on a NAS server on at least one other NAS server to create a replicated storage domain, receiving file system requests from at least one client, if the file system request is a read request, directing the read request to a server in the replicated storage domain, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function, if the file system request is a write request, (1) multicasting the write request to each of the individual servers included in the replicated storage domain, to maintain substantial data synchronization across the replicated storage domain, and (2) receiving, from at least one of the servers in the replicated storage domain, a response to the received file system request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a digital processing system comprising at least two NAS servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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replicating a least a subset of data on a NAS server on at least one other NAS server to create a replicated storage domain, receiving file system requests from at least one client, if the file system request is a read request, directing the read request to a server in the replicated storage domain, the server being selected in accordance with a file handle workload distribution function, the file handle workload distribution function directing requests for previously-accessed files back to the server that previously satisfied the requests;
if the file system request is a write request, (1) broadcasting the write request to each of the individual servers included in the replicated storage domain, to maintain substantial data synchronization across the replicated storage domain, and (2) receiving, from at least one of the servers in the replicated storage domain, a response to the received file system request.
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11. In a digital processing system comprising at least two NAS servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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replicating a least a subset of data on a NAS server on at least one other NAS server to create a replicated storage domain;
receiving file system requests from at least one client;
if the file system request is a read request, directing the read request to a server in the replicated storage domain, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function that;
(1) initially directs requests for a given file to a single server, then (2) if the rate at which the file is being requested exceeds a threshold limit, designates an additional server to serve the file, and then (3) distributes successive requests for the file in round robin fashion between the servers designated to serve the file;
if the file system request is a write request, (1) multicasting the write request to each of the individual servers included in the replicated storage domain, to maintain substantial data synchronization across the replicated storage domain, and (2) receiving, from at least one of the servers in the replicated storage domain, a response to the received file system request.
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12. In a digital processing system comprising at least two NAS servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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providing a switching system including (1) a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, (2) a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the first configurable set of processor elements, file system requests, and to route the requests to selected NAS servers; and
(3) a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements;
designating a workload distribution group including at least two NAS servers;
receiving a file system request from a client via one of the first set of processor elements;
if the file system request is a read request, directing the request to a selected NAS server in the workload distribution group, via the switching system, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function; and
if the file system request is a write request, then (1) multicasting the request to each of the NAS servers in the workload distribution group, via the switching system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. In a digital processing system comprising at least two servers, a method of distributing requests to the servers whereby multiple NAS servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to an client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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receiving, from the client, a packet containing a read request;
using file handle information contained in the request to execute a lookup in a file handle hash table, the file handle hash table containing addresses for servers to which the request may be directed;
obtaining, as a result of the hash table lookup, an address for a server to which the request is to be directed;
updating, in the packet, the destination address with the obtained server address; and
forwarding the packet to the server specified by the obtained server address.
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17. In a digital processing system comprising at least two servers, a method of distributing requests to the servers whereby multiple servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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providing a switching system including;
(1) a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, (2) a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the first configurable set of processor elements, file system requests, and to route the requests to selected servers, and (3) a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements;
designating a workload distribution group including at least two servers;
receiving a file system request from the client;
if the file system request is a read request, directing the request to a selected server in the workload distribution group, via the switching system, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function, the workload distribution function including (1) receiving, from the client, a packet containing the read request, (2) using file handle information contained in the request to execute a lookup in a file handle hash table, the file handle hash table containing addresses for servers to which the request may be directed, (3) obtaining, as a result of the hash table lookup, an address for a server to which the request is to be directed, (4) updating, in the packet, the destination address with the obtained server address, and (5) forwarding the packet to the server specified by the obtained server address; and
if the file system request is a write request, then multicasting the request to each of the servers in the workload distribution group, via the switching system.
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18. In a digital processing system comprising a plurality of servers, a workload distribution method whereby multiple servers are made to appear as a single, virtual, server to a client making a file system request, the method comprising:
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providing a switching system including (1) a first configurable set of processor elements to process storage resource connection requests, (2) a second configurable set of processor elements capable of communications with the first configurable set of processor elements to receive, from the first configurable set of processor elements, file system requests, and to route the requests to selected servers; and
(3) a configurable switching fabric interconnected between the first and second sets of processor elements;
designating a workload distribution group including at least two servers;
receiving a file system request from a client;
if the file system request is a read request, directing the request to a selected server in the workload distribution group, via the switching system, the server being selected in accordance with a workload distribution function, the workload distribution function including (1) first directing the request to a selected subset of the servers, via the switching system, the subset being selected in response to examination of the contents of the request, and (2) then directing the request to one or more selected servers within the selected subset of servers, the servers being selected in accordance with a load balancing function; and
if the file system request is a write request, then (1) multicasting the request to each of the servers in the workload distribution group, via the switching system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. In a digital processing system including a plurality of NAS servers, a method for distributing processing of file system requests over the servers, the method including:
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configuring a workload distribution function to distribute workload across multiple servers storing identical file data multicast to them, and configuring a workload distribution function to distribute workload across servers storing unique data. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A digital processing system comprising:
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a plurality of NAS servers, means for configuring a workload distribution function to distribute workload across multiple servers storing identical file data multicast to them, and means for configuring a workload distribution function to distribute workload across servers storing unique data.
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Specification