Metadata structures and related locking techniques to improve performance and scalability in a cluster file system
US7487228B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 2004 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99938
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A cluster file system is disclosed. A plurality of disk servers, operating as a single distributed disk server layer, are connected to the one or more physical disks. Each disk server stores metadata for each of the files. A plurality of lock servers, having one or more locks for each file and associated file system metadata operates as a single centralized distributed lock server to coordinate access to the files stored by the disk server layer. A plurality of asynchronous file servers, operating as a single distributed file server layer in response to a request for a file from a user program: (i) retrieves the requested file from the disk server layer and at least one lock, associated with the retrieved file, from the lock server, and (ii) retrieves metadata for at least one file that is related to the requested files, and at least one lock, for each file that has had its metadata retrieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.