Log-structured host data storage

• US 7,949,693 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: OSR Open Systems Resources, Inc.
• Inventors: Mason, W. Anthony, Viscarola, Peter G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): XUE, BIN
• Application Number:
  US11/844,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries

Abstract

Methods of communicating data between a host and a client. The methods may comprise the step of receiving a write request from a client. The write request may comprise first data and first metadata describing a logical position of the first data within a file. The first data may be encrypted to the host. The methods may also comprise the step of writing the first data to a data storage. The first data may be written as a data sub-file of the file. In addition, the methods may comprise the step of writing the first metadata to the data storage. The first metadata may be written as a metadata sub-file of the file.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data between a host computer and a client computer, the method comprising:

receiving, by the host computer, a write request from the client computer, the write request comprising first data and first metadata describing a first logical position of the first data within a file, wherein the first data is encrypted to the host computer, wherein the first metadata is unencrypted to the host computer, wherein the host computer comprises a processor and operatively associated data storage, and wherein the file is stored at the data storage;

writing the first data to the data storage, wherein the first data is written as a data sub-file of the file, wherein the data sub-file logically replaces a second data sub-file having the same logical position;

creating a metadata sub-file utilizing the first metadata, wherein the metadata sub-file comprises logical-to-physical mapping information linking the first logical position of the first data within the file to the physical position of the data sub-file within the file; and

writing the metadata sub-file to the data storage, wherein the data sub-file and the metadata sub-file are organized within the file according to a log-structured organization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises a plurality of logical positions, and wherein first logical position is selected from the plurality of logical positions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data sub-file is logically positioned after a plurality of data sub-files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data and the first metadata are encrypted to parties other than the client and the host.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is compressed according to a compression algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a read request from the client, wherein the read request identifies a second logical position within the file;

identifying a second data sub-file organized within the file according to the log-structured organization system;

determining a position of the second data sub-file within the file considering at least one metadata sub-file; and

communicating the second data sub-file to the client.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a second metadata sub-file comprising a mapping of the second logical position within the file to a physical position of the second data sub-file within the file; and

communicating the second metadata to the client.

8. A system for communicating data between a client and a host, the system comprising:

a host comprising;

data storage hardware comprising thereon a plurality of files organized on the data storage hardware, and wherein each of the plurality of files comprises a plurality of sub-files organized within the file according to a log-structured organization, wherein the plurality of sub-files comprise at least one data sub-file and at least one metadata sub-file, wherein the at least one data sub-file is encrypted to the host and wherein the at least one metadata sub-file is unencrypted to the host; and

at least one server in communication with the data storage hardware and configured to;

receive a write request from a client, the write request comprising first data and first metadata describing a first logical position of the first data within a file, wherein the first data is encrypted to the host, and wherein the first metadata is unencrypted to the host;

write the first data to the data storage hardware, wherein the first data is written as a data sub-file of the file organized within the file according to the log-structured organization, wherein the data sub-file logically replaces a second data sub-file having the same Logical position;

create a metadata sub-file utilizing the first metadata, wherein the metadata sub-file comprises logical-to-physical mapping information linking the first logical position of the first data within the file to the physical position of the data sub-file within the file; and

write the metadata sub-file to the data storage hardware, wherein the data sub-file and the metadata sub-file are organized within the file according to a log-structured organization.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one server is further configured to:

receive a read request from the client, wherein the read request identifies a second logical position within the logical unit;

identify a second data sub-file organized within the file according to the log-structured organization system; and

communicate the second data sub-file to the client.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is further configured to:

generate a second metadata sub-file comprising a mapping of the second logical position within the file to a physical position of the second data sub-file within the file; and

communicate the second metadata to the client.