SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING ACCESSIBLE DISPERSED DIGITAL STORAGE VAULTS UTILIZING A CENTRALIZED REGISTRY

• US 20100169415A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: LEGGETTE, WESLEY, MARK, ZACHARY J., MOTWANI, MANISH, PALTHEPU, SRINIVAS, QUIGLEY, JOHN
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems

Abstract

A centralized depository for storing information regarding a collection of servers and other hardware used to implement a plurality of virtual dispersed data storage containers is disclosed. The centralized depository describes each virtual dispersed data storage container as well as the hardware used to provide the plurality of virtual dispersed data storage containers. Computers operating on or seeking to access specific virtual dispersed data storage containers can obtain the information required for access from the centralized depository.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer including;

a network port adaptively coupled to a network; and

a registry application;

a database for storing a plurality of information records, wherein an information record of the plurality of information records includes a vault identifier to identify a virtual dispersed data storage container, a list of associated slices servers, and a list of one or more associated devices;

wherein the computer;

receives, via the network port, a message from a requesting device;

interprets the message to determine a requested operation;

determines whether an information record of the plurality of information records corresponds to the requested operation;

when the information record corresponds to the requested operation, determines whether the requested operation is valid;

when the requested operation is valid, performs the requested operation; and

updates the information record corresponding to the requested operation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the requested operation comprises at least one of:

create a vault, update a vault, delete a vault, add a device to the information record corresponding to the requested operation, remove a device from the information record corresponding to the requested operation, deploy a vault, and undeploy a vault.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the requested operation comprises:

a request to identify virtual dispersed data storage containers accessible to the requesting device; and

wherein, in response to the request, the registry application retrieves one or more of the plurality of information records, wherein each retrieved information record corresponds to an accessible virtual dispersed data storage container of the requesting device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the requesting device comprises at least one of:

a grid access computer, a stand-alone computer, and an access client computer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the requested operation comprises:

a request to create a virtual dispersed data storage container; and

wherein, in response to the request, the registry application;

creates a new information record to include a second vault identifier to identify a second virtual dispersed data storage container, a second list of associated slices servers, and a second list of one or more associated devices; and

transmit, via the network port, the new information record to the database for storage therein.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information record comprises at least one of:

a network device object;

a network module object;

a network module interface object;

a network module resource interface object;

a network resource object; and

a vault object.

7. A computer comprises:

a network port;

a central processing unit operably coupled to the network port; and

memory operably coupled to the central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit functions to;

receive, via the network port, a discover vault request for a virtual digital data storage vault container;

determine whether an information record exists for the virtual digital data storage vault container;

when the information record does not exist for the virtual digital data storage vault container;

create an information record for the virtual digital data storage vault container, wherein the information record identifies valid user accounts and a set of slice servers; and

deploy the virtual digital data storage vault container.

8. The computer of claim 7, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

when the information record exists, interpret the discover vault request to determine whether the valid user accounts are to be modified; and

when the valid user accounts are to be modified, modifying the information record to add or remove a user account from the valid user accounts.

9. The computer of claim 7, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

when the information record exists, interpret the discover vault request to determine whether module type information of one or more of the valid user accounts is to be modified; and

when the module type information of the one or more of the valid user accounts is to be modified, modify the module type information.

10. The computer of claim 7, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

when the information record exists, interpret the discover vault request to determine whether a vault object of the information record is to be modified; and

when the vault object is to be modified, modify at least one of a descriptor, a logic size, a type, and the set of slice servers within the vault object.

11. The computer of claim 7, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

when the information record exists, interpret the discover vault request to determine whether a vault is to be deleted; and

when a vault is to be deleted, modify the information record to delete the vault.

12. The computer of claim 7, wherein the central processing unit further functions to:

when the information record exists, interpret the discover vault request to determine whether a vault is to be undeployed; and

when a vault is to be deleted, modify the information record to undeploy the vault.

13. The computer of claim 7, wherein the receiving, via the network port, the discover vault request further comprises at least one of:

receiving, via the network port, the discover vault request from a slice server of the set of slice servers; and

receiving, via the network port, the discover vault request from a device associated with one or more of the valid user accounts.

14. A method for execution by a computer, the method comprises:

receiving a discover vault request for a virtual digital data storage vault container;

determining whether an information record exists for the virtual digital data storage vault container;

when the information record does not exist for the virtual digital data storage vault container;

creating an information record for the virtual digital data storage vault container, wherein the information record identifies valid user accounts and a set of slice servers; and

deploying the virtual digital data storage vault container.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

when the information record exists, interpreting the discover vault request to determine whether the valid user accounts are to be modified; and

when the valid user accounts are to be modified, modifying the information record to add or remove a user account from the valid user accounts.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

when the information record exists, interpreting the discover vault request to determine whether module type information of one or more of the valid user accounts is to be modified; and

when the module type information of the one or more of the valid user accounts is to be modified, modifying the module type information.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

when the information record exists, interpreting the discover vault request to determine whether a vault object of the information record is to be modified; and

when the vault object is to be modified, modifying at least one of a descriptor, a logic size, a type, and the set of slice servers within the vault object.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

when the information record exists, interpreting the discover vault request to determine whether a vault is to be deleted; and

when a vault is to be deleted, modifying the information record to delete the vault.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprises:

when the information record exists, interpreting the discover vault request to determine whether a vault is to be undeployed; and

when a vault is to be deleted, modifying the information record to undeploy the vault.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving the discover vault request further comprises at least one of:

receiving the discover vault request from a slice server of the set of slice servers; and

receiving the discover vault request from a device associated with one or more of the valid user accounts.