File access method in storage-device system, and programs for the file access

• US 20040215616A1
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sonoda, Koji, Iwasaki, Masaaki, Matsunami, Naoto, Ogawa, Junji, Tsukiji, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,069,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

In order to manage the various types of attribute information within the storage-device system, the storage-device system includes the following databases within a file-access controlling memory: a database for managing index information for managing contents of the files, and an index retrieval program, a database for managing the attribute information on the files, and a database for managing storage positions of blocks configuring a file. When the storage-device system receives an access request to a file, the utilization of these databases allows the storage-device system to make the access to the access-target file.

Claims

1. A method by which a storage-device system accesses a file in response to an access request, said storage-device system including a plurality of disks and a disk controller, said disk controller being connected to said plurality of disks and controlling said plurality of disks, said access request being received from one of computers connected to said storage-device system, said file being stored in said storage-device system, said method comprising the steps of:

an index creation step for selecting, by said disk controller, a part from file data so as to manage the selected data as an index, said file data being contents of said file stored in said storage-device system;

an access-request reception step for receiving, by said disk controller, said access request from one of said computers, said access request including file-related information used for identifying a file;

an index retrieval step for retrieving, by said disk controller, said index with said file-related information used as a key; and

a file access step for performing, by said disk controller, control so that said data in an identified file is accessed, if said file has been identified at said index retrieval step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

said disk controller includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file stored in said storage-device system, and

said index creation step further comprises a step of managing said attribute information as said index.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said attribute information includes information used for controlling processing for determining into which of said plurality of disks said data in said file is to be stored.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein

said attribute information includes control information for giving a specification that data in a file is to be stored into a cache memory with highest priority, said disk controller including said cache memory, and

said disk controller performs control so that said data in said file corresponding to said control information will be stored into said cache memory with highest priority,

said disk controller then accessing said cache memory with highest priority if said disk controller receives an access request with respect to said data in said file corresponding to said control information.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said index retrieval step further comprises a step of retrieving an index with highest priority, said index being about a file for which said control information has been registered as said index.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

said disk controller includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file stored in said storage-device system,

said method further comprising the steps of:

an attribute-information retrieval step for retrieving, by said disk controller, said attribute information with said file-related information used as a key, said access request including said file-related information; and

a controlling step for performing, by said disk controller, control so that said data in said file identified at said attribute-information retrieval step is accessed.

7. A computer program product for executing a processing for accessing a file in a storage-device system, said file being stored in said storage-device system, said storage-device system including a disk controller and a plurality of disks connected to said disk controller,

said computer program product comprising:

an index creation code that selects a part from file data so as to manage the selected data as an index, said file data being contents of said file stored in said storage-device system;

an access-request reception code that receives an access request from one of computers connected to said disk controller, said access request including file-related information used for identifying said file;

an index retrieval code that retrieves said index with said file-related information used as a key;

a file access code that, if said access-target file has been identified by said index retrieval code, performs control so that said data in said identified file is accessed; and

a computer-readable storage medium for storing said codes.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein said file-related information includes a part of said data that said access-target file includes.

9. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein

said disk controller includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file stored in said storage-device system, and

said index creation code further includes a code of managing said attribute information as said index.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said attribute information includes information used for controlling processing for determining into which of said plurality of disks said data in said file is to be stored.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein

said attribute information includes control information for giving a specification that data in a file is to be stored into a cache memory with the highest priority, said disk controller including said cache memory, and

said computer program product further comprises:

a code that causes said disk controller to execute a step of storing said data in said file into said cache memory with highest priority, said data in said file corresponding to said control information; and

said code that causes said disk controller to execute a step of accessing said cache memory with highest priority if said disk controller receives an access request with respect to said file corresponding to said control information.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said index retrieval code further includes a code of retrieving an index with highest priority, said index being about a file for which said control information has been registered as said index.

13. The computer program product according to claim 7, wherein

said disk controller includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file stored in said storage-device system, and

said computer program product further comprises:

an attribute-information retrieval code that retrieves said attribute information with said file-related information used as a key, said access request including said file-related information; and

said controlling code that performs control so that said data in said file identified by said attribute-information retrieval code is accessed.

14. The storage-device system connected to one or more computers, comprising:

a first interface control device for receiving information on a file from said one or more computers, said information being used for identifying said file;

a second interface control device connected to said first interface control device; and

one or more disks connected to said second interface control device,

wherein said first interface control device;

selects a part of data from file data so as to manage the selected part as index information, said file data being contents of said file to be stored into said storage-device system, and, if said first interface control device receives an access request from said one or more computers, said access request including said information on said access-target file,

retrieves said index information with said information on said file used as a key, and

controls said second interface control device so as to access the data in said file selected by said retrieval.

15. A storage-device system according to claim 14,

wherein said first interface control device:

includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file to be stored into one of said plurality of disks, and, if, as a result of retrieving said index information, said one of said devices has found it impossible to select said access-target file,

retrieves said attribute information with said information on said access-target file used as a key, said information being included in said access request, and

controls said second interface control device so as to access said data in said file selected by said retrieval.

16. The storage-device system according to claim 15, wherein said attribute information includes information, said information being used by said first interface control device in order to control and cause said second interface control device to execute a processing for storing said data in said file into said storage-device system.

17. The storage-device system according to claim 16, wherein said attribute information includes control information for giving a specification that data in a file is to be stored into a cache memory with highest priority, said cache memory being connected to said first interface control device and said second interface control device.

18. The storage-device system according to claim 17,

wherein said first interface control device:

performs control so that said data in said file for which said control information has been registered as said attribute information is stored into said cache memory with a highest priority; and

accesses said cache memory with highest priority if said first interface control device receives an access request with respect to said file for which said control information has been registered as said attribute information.

19. The storage-device system according to claim 14,

wherein said first interface control device;

includes attribute information, said attribute information indicating characteristics of said file stored in said storage-device system; and

manages said attribute information as said index information.

20. The storage-device system according to claim 19, wherein:

said attribute information includes control information for giving a specification that data in a file is to be stored into a cache memory with highest priority, said cache memory being connected to said first interface control device and said second interface control device, and, at the time of retrieving said index information;

said first interface control device retrieves index information with highest priority, said index information being about a file for which said control information has been managed as said index information.