Transaction-based storage system and method that uses variable sized objects to store data
US7386663B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 13, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jun 10, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 20, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2211/1026
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a storage system for storing variable sized objects. The storage system is preferably a transaction-based system that uses variable sized objects to store data. The storage system is preferably implemented using arrays disks that are arranged in ranks. Each rank includes multiple stripes. Each stripe may be read and written as a convenient unit for maximum performance. A rank manager is able to dynamically configure the ranks to adjust for failed and added disks by selectively shortening and lengthening the stripes. The storage system may include a stripe space table that contains entries describing the amount of space used in each stripe. An object map provides entries for each object in the storage system describing the location (e.g., rank, stripe and offset values), the length and version of the object. A volume index translates regions of logical storage into object identifiers. The storage system may implement various types of formats such as I-node, binary tree and extendible hashing formats.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.