Serverless distributed file system

US7240060B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Atul Adya · Bellevue, US
• William J. Bolosky · Issaquah, US
• Gerald Cermak · Bothell, US
• John R. Douceur · Bellevue, US
• Marvin M. Theimer · Bellevue, US
• Roger P. Wattenhofer · Zürich, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2004
• Grant date: Jul 3, 2007
• Expiry date: Jan 25, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S707/99938
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A serverless distributed file system manages the storage of files and directories using one or more directory groups. The directories may be managed using Byzantine-fault-tolerant groups, whereas files are managed without using Byzantine-fault-tolerant groups. Additionally, the file system may employ a hierarchical namespace to store files. Furthermore, the directory group may employ a plurality of locks to control access to objects (e.g., files and directories) in each directory.