SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING FILES IN CLOUD-BASED NETWORKS

• US 20120078946A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Darcy, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for monitoring files in cloud-based networks. In particular, a file managing module can manage the access and retrieval of files stored in cloud-based networks on a distributed basis. In embodiments, the file managing module can receive a file access request from a requesting entity. The file managing module can use the file access request to determine a storage location mapped to a hash structure. Generation numbers associated with the both the storage location and the actual file at the storage location can be compared to determine whether the file has been unexpectedly modified or relocated. The file managing module can sync any discrepancy between the generation numbers and retrieve the file for the requesting entity.

Claims

1. A method of managing a file stored in a cloud-based network, the method comprising:

determining a storage location of the file from a link mapped on a hash structure, wherein the link comprises a first generation number;

accessing, via the link, the file at the storage location to examine a second generation number associated with the file; and

comparing the first generation number to the second generation number to determine whether to retrieve the file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the link in response to the first generation number not matching the second generation number; and

retrieving the file from the storage location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the link in response to the first generation number not matching the second generation number; and

generating a notification indicating the mismatch.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein updating the link comprises syncing the first generation number with the second generation number.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first generation number does not match the second generation number as a result of a relocation of the file.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the first generation number does not match the second generation number as a result of a modification of the file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first generation number and the second generation number are counters that are incremented every time the file is modified or relocated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the storage location of the file comprises utilizing consistent hashing to determine a storage device to which the storage location is allocated.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the storage location of the file comprises:

following the link mapped on the hash structure to a storage device in the cloud-based network, wherein the link points to at least one additional link;

following the at least one additional link to a memory location of the file; and

replacing the link to point to the memory location of the file.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the file from the storage location in response to the first generation number matching the second generation number.

11. A system for managing a file stored in a cloud-based network, the system comprising:

an interface to a set of resources in at least one cloud network, and

a processor, communicating with the set of resources in the at least one cloud network via the interface, the processor being configured to—

determine a storage location of the file from a link mapped on a hash structure, wherein the link comprises a first generation number;

access, via the link, the file at the storage location to examine a second generation number associated with the file; and

compare the first generation number to the second generation number to determine whether to retrieve the file.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

update the link in response to the first generation number not matching the second generation number; and

retrieve the file from the storage location.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

update the link in response to the first generation number not matching the second generation number; and

generating a notification indicating the mismatch.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein updating the link comprises syncing the first generation number with the second generation number.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first generation number does not match the second generation number as a result of a relocation of the file.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first generation number does not match the second generation number as a result of a modification of the file.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first generation number and the second generation number are counters that are incremented every time the file is modified or relocated.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the storage location of the file comprises utilizing consistent hashing to determine a storage device to which the storage location is allocated.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the storage location of the file comprises:

following the link mapped on the hash structure to a storage device in the cloud-based network, wherein the link points to at least one additional link;

following the at least one additional link to a memory location of the file; and

replacing the link to point to the memory location of the file.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the file from the storage location in response to the first generation number matching the second generation number.