Automated filer technique for use in virtualized appliances and applications

• US 9,087,076 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nickolov, Peter, Kalev, Leonid, Tessler, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US13/747,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4856 resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration G06F9/5088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level

Abstract

Various techniques are disclosed for facilitating manipulation of virtualized storage volumes and/or file systems of one or more different types of operating systems (OSs) implemented on distributed computer systems. According to different embodiments, various aspects may be directed to different embodiments of virtualized filer appliances and/or filer applications which may be used for facilitating manipulation of virtualized storage volumes and/or file systems of one or more different types of operating systems (OSs) implemented on distributed computer systems. In at least one embodiment, a filer appliance may be implemented as a virtual appliance that includes functionality for performing automated file-level and/or volume-level operations for a selected set of file systems. In one embodiment, a filer appliance may be implemented as a virtual machine which is configured or designed to handle managing of one or more volumes. In one embodiment, the filer appliance may include one or more virtual interfaces for interfacing with one or more virtual volumes and/or one or more other virtual appliances, virtual applications, etc. Various other techniques are disclosed herein for facilitating dynamic and automated configuration of virtual appliances implemented at distributed computing systems.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating conversion of a file system of a virtual storage volume from a first file system type to a second file system type, the virtual storage volume being implemented at a distributed computing network, the method comprising:

identifying a first file system type of a first file system of a first virtual storage volume;

automatically identifying a first virtual filer appliance operable to read files from the first file system type, the first virtual filer appliance including an image of a first operating system (OS) loadable in a first virtual machine to thereby enable a running instance of the first virtual filer appliance to be created or instantiated at the distributed computing network;

automatically providing the first virtual filer appliance with access to the first virtual storage volume;

identifying a second file system type of a second file system of a second virtual storage volume;

automatically identifying a second virtual filer appliance operable to write files to the second file system type, the second virtual filer appliance including an image of a second operating system (OS) loadable in a second virtual machine to thereby enable a running instance of the second virtual filer appliance to be created or instantiated at the distributed computing network;

automatically providing the second virtual filer appliance with access to the second virtual storage volume;

providing a first communication link between the first virtual filer appliance and the second virtual filer appliance;

performing, using the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance, file system conversion operations for converting the first file system from a first file system type to the second file system of the second file system type, wherein the performing of the file system conversion operations includes;

operating the first virtual filer appliance to read a first plurality of files from the first virtual storage volume;

sending, via use of the first communication link, file information relating to the first plurality of read files to the second virtual filer appliance;

operating the second virtual filer appliance to receive the file information via the first communication link; and

operating the second virtual filer appliance to write at least a portion of the received file information to the second virtual storage volume.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically creating, on demand, at least one running instance of at least one of;

the first virtual filer appliance and/or second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one condition or event.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically creating, on demand, at least one running instance of at least one of;

the first virtual filer appliance and/or second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one real-time condition or event.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically generating, using the first file system type and the second file system type, a first virtual application template;

automatically creating, on demand, using the first virtual application template, running instances of the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically generating, using the first file system type and the second file system type, a first virtual application template;

automatically and dynamically creating, on demand, using the first virtual application template, running instances of the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one real-time condition or event.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically creating, on demand, using a first pre-configured application template, running instances the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one condition or event;

wherein the first pre-configured application template is selected from a plurality of pre-configured application templates using information relating to the first file system type and the second file system type.

7. A system for facilitating conversion of a file system of a virtual storage volume from a first file system type to a second file system type, the virtual storage volume being implemented at a distributed computing network, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface; and

memory;

the system being operable to;

identify a first file system type of a first file system of the virtual storage volume;

automatically identify a first virtual filer appliance operable to read files from the first file system type, the first virtual filer appliance including an image of a first operating system (OS) loadable in a first virtual machine to thereby enable a running instance of the first virtual filer appliance to be created or instantiated at the distributed computing network;

automatically provide the first virtual filer appliance with access to the first virtual storage volume;

identify a second file system type of a second file system of the virtual storage volume;

automatically identifying a second virtual filer appliance operable to write files to the second file system type, the second virtual filer appliance including an image of a second operating system (OS) loadable in a second virtual machine to thereby enable a running instance of the second virtual filer appliance to be created or instantiated at the distributed computing network;

automatically provide the second virtual filer appliance with access to the second virtual storage volume;

provide a first communication link between the first virtual filer appliance and the second virtual filer appliance; and

perform, using the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance, file system conversion operations for converting the first file system from a first file system type to the second file system of the second file system type, wherein the performing of the file system conversion operations includes;

operate the first virtual filer appliance to read a first plurality of files from the first virtual storage volume;

send, via use of the first communication link, file information relating to the first plurality of read files to the second virtual filer appliance;

operate the second virtual filer appliance to receive the file information via the first communication link; and

operate the second virtual filer appliance to write at least a portion of the received file information to the second virtual storage volume.

8. The system of claim 7 being further operable to:

automatically create, on demand, at least one running instance of at least one of;

the first virtual filer appliance and/or second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one condition or event.

9. The system of claim 7 being further operable to:

automatically create, on demand, at least one running instance of at least one of;

the first virtual filer appliance and/or second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one real-time condition or event.

10. The system of claim 7 being further operable to:

dynamically generate, using the first file system type and the second file system type, a first virtual application template;

automatically create, on demand, using the first virtual application template, running instances of the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance.

11. The system of claim 7 being further operable to:

dynamically generate, using the first file system type and the second file system type, a first virtual application template;

automatically and dynamically create, on demand, using the first virtual application template, running instances of the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one real-time condition or event.

12. The system of claim 7 being further operable to:

automatically create, on demand, using a first pre-configured application template, running instances the first virtual filer appliance and second virtual filer appliance in response to at least one condition or event;

wherein the first pre-configured application template is selected from a plurality of pre-configured application templates using information relating to the first file system type and the second file system type.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the first file system type is selected from a group of file system types consisting of:

Linux-based file system types, Solaris-based file system types, and Windows-based file system types.