Parallel file system and method for multiple node file access
US6023706A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/1858
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system having a shared disk file system running on on multiple computers each having their own instance of an operating system and being coupled for parallel data sharing access to files residing on network attached shared disks. Methods are provided for use as a parallel file system in a shared disk environment by use of a scalable directory service for the system with a stable cursor, a segmented allocation map. Dynamic prefetch and cached balance pools for multiple accesses improve the system. Extended file attributes are used for implementation of Access Control Lists in a parallel file system. Improvements to caching and cache performance developments balance pools for multiple accesses. A metadata node manages file metadata for parallel read and write actions. For our system, tokens are used for metadata node selection and identification, and we have enhanced token modes for controlling file size, as well as smart caching of byte range tokens using file access patterns and a byte range lock algorithm using a byte range token interface. Locking techniques reduce the overhead of a token manager which is also used in the file system recovery if a computer participatin…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.