PROXY ACCESS TO A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK

• US 20110125999A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: RESCH, JASON K., CILFONE, BART
• Granted Patent: US 9,027,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method begins with a processing module selecting one of a plurality of dispersed storage (DS) processing modules for facilitating access to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module sending a DSN memory access request to the one of the plurality of DS processing modules. The method continues with the processing module selecting another one of the plurality of DS processing modules when no response is received within a given time frame or when the response to the access request does not include an access indication. The method continues with the processing module sending the DSN memory access request to the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

Claims

1. A method comprises:

selecting one of a plurality of dispersed storage (DS) processing modules for facilitating access to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

sending a DSN memory access request to the one of the plurality of DS processing modules;

when no response is received within a given time frame or when the response to the access request does not include an access indication, selecting another one of the plurality of DS processing modules; and

sending the DSN memory access request to the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access request comprises one of more of:

a request to store an encoded data slice;

a request to delete the encoded data slice;

a request to list the encoded data slice; and

a request to retrieve the encoded data slice.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the one of the plurality of DS processing modules is based on one or more of:

a query;

a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

a vault identifier;

a DSN memory identifier;

a list of DS processing module identifiers;

a DS processing module assignment list;

a DS processing module performance indicator;

a DS processing module capability indicator; and

a last utilized DS processing module identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response further comprises one of:

an active master access indicator;

a master DS processing module identifier;

a proxy access indicator; and

a rejection message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the response to the access request does not include an access indication;

receiving an identity of the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules in the response; and

selecting the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

6. A method comprises:

receiving, from a user device, an access request to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

determining responsibility for the access request; and

when the responsibility is a proxy dispersed storage (DS) processing module function;

identifying a master DS processing module; and

performing a proxy function related to the access request on behalf of the user device with the master DS processing module.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprises:

when the responsibility is no responsibility;

ignoring the access request;

or

sending a rejection message.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprises:

when the responsibility is a redirection function, sending a message to the user device that identifies the master DS processing module.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining the responsibility further comprises at least one of:

obtaining a master DS processing module indicator;

obtaining a proxy access indicator;

sending a query message;

interpreting a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

interpreting a user device identifier;

interpreting a vault identifier;

interpreting a DSN memory identifier;

interpreting a list of DS processing module identifiers;

interpreting a DS processing module assignment list;

interpreting a DS processing module performance indicator; and

interpreting a DS processing module capability indicator.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifying the master DS processing module comprises at least one of:

obtaining a master DS processing module indicator;

sending a query message;

interpreting a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

interpreting a vault identifier;

interpreting a DSN memory identifier;

interpreting a list of DS processing module identifiers;

accessing a DS processing module assignment list;

interpreting a DS processing module performance indicator;

interpreting a DS processing module capability indicator; and

interpreting a last utilized DS processing module identifier.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the proxy function comprises one or more of:

forwarding the access request to the master DS processing module;

receiving a response from the master DS processing module; and

forwarding the response to the user device.

12. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to;

select one of a plurality of dispersed storage (DS) processing modules for facilitating access to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

send, via the interface, a DSN memory access request to the one of the plurality of DS processing modules;

select another one of the plurality of DS processing modules when no response is received within a given time frame or when the response to the access request does not include an access indication; and

send, via the interface, the DSN memory access request to the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

13. The computer of claim 12, wherein the access request comprises one of more of:

a request to store an encoded data slice;

a request to delete the encoded data slice;

a request to list the encoded data slice; and

a request to retrieve the encoded data slice.

14. The computer of claim 12, wherein the processing module further functions to select the one of the plurality of DS processing modules based on one or more of:

a query;

a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

a vault identifier;

a DSN memory identifier;

a list of DS processing module identifiers;

a DS processing module assignment list;

a DS processing module performance indicator;

a DS processing module capability indicator; and

a last utilized DS processing module identifier.

15. The computer of claim 12, wherein the response further comprises one of:

an active master access indicator;

a master DS processing module identifier;

a proxy access indicator; and

a rejection message.

16. The computer of claim 12, wherein the processing module further functions to:

when the response to the access request does not include an access indication;

receive, via the interface, an identity of the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules in the response; and

select the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

17. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to;

receive, from a user device via the interface, an access request to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory;

determine responsibility for the access request; and

when the responsibility is a proxy dispersed storage (DS) processing module function;

identify a master DS processing module; and

perform a proxy function related to the access request on behalf of the user device with the master DS processing module.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

ignore the access request;

or

send, via the interface, a rejection message, when the responsibility is no responsibility.

19. The computer of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

send, via the interface, a message to the user device that identifies the master DS processing module when the responsibility is a redirection function.

20. The computer of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to determine the responsibility by at least one of:

obtaining a master DS processing module indicator;

obtaining a proxy access indicator;

sending, via the interface, a query message;

interpreting a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

interpreting a user device identifier;

interpreting a vault identifier;

interpreting a DSN memory identifier;

interpreting a list of DS processing module identifiers;

interpreting a DS processing module assignment list;

interpreting a DS processing module performance indicator; and

interpreting a DS processing module capability indicator.

21. The computer of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to identify the master DS processing module by at least one of:

obtaining a master DS processing module indicator;

sending, via the interface, a query message;

interpreting a slice name associated with the encoded data slice;

interpreting a vault identifier;

interpreting a DSN memory identifier;

interpreting a list of DS processing module identifiers;

accessing a DS processing module assignment list;

interpreting a DS processing module performance indicator;

interpreting a DS processing module capability indicator; and

interpreting a last utilized DS processing module identifier.

22. The computer of claim 17, wherein the proxy function comprises one or more of:

forwarding, via the interface, the access request to the master DS processing module;

receiving, via the interface, a response from the master DS processing module; and

forwarding, via the interface, the response to the user device.