Method and apparatus for data storage using striping
View Patent ↗An apparatus for data storage includes a cluster of NFS servers. Each server has network ports for incoming file system requests and cluster traffic between servers. The apparatus includes a plurality of storage arrays in communication with the servers. The servers utilize a striped file system for storing data. A method for data storage. A method for establishing storage for a file. A method for removing a file from storage. A method for reading data in a file. A method for writing data in a file.
1. A method for establishing storage for a file comprising the steps of:
receiving an NFS (network file system) create request at a network element;
receiving a file create request at a meta-data server from the network element;
allocating an inode number for the file at the meta-data server;
making create calls to input output secondaries to mark the file as allocated by the input output secondaries; and
committing the file create at the meta-data server.
2. A method for removing a file from storage comprising the steps of:
receiving a delete file request at a meta-data server;
removing a file name of the file from a parent directory by the meta-data server at the meta-data server;
putting the file on a file delete list by the meta-data server at the meta-data server;
sending delete calls to the input output secondaries;
receiving at the meta-data server acknowledgment calls from the input output secondaries that they have deleted the file;
deleting the file at the meta-data server;
removing the file from the file delete list; and
placing an mode number associated with the file into a free list by the meta-data server at the meta-data server.