Distributed object-based storage system that uses pointers stored as object attributes for object analysis and monitoring

1 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different object storage devices, a method for detecting files with one or more missing components, comprising:

for each component of each file, storing a pointer in an attribute field of the component, wherein the pointer points to a further component of the file; and

identifying files with one or more missing components by attempting to traverse the components of each file using the pointers, wherein a file is determined to have one or more missing components if all components associated with the file cannot be traversed using the pointers.

2 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different object storage devices, a system for detecting files with one or more missing components, comprising:

at least one server that, for each component of each file, stores a pointer in an attribute field of the component, wherein the pointer points to a further component of the file; and

wherein the at least one server identifies files with one or more missing components by attempting to traverse the components of each file using the pointers; and

wherein the at least one server determines that a file has one or more missing components if all components associated with the file cannot be traversed using the pointers.

3 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices, and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different storage devices, a method for identifying files containing at least one component on a specific object storage device, comprising:

for each component of each file, storing a pointer in an attribute field of the component, wherein the pointer points to a further component of the file; and

identifying files where at least one component has, in its attribute field, a pointer that points to a further component residing on the specific object storage device.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the specific object storage device corresponds to a failed object storage device, and the identifying step identifies files in need of reconstruction.

5 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices, and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different storage devices, a system for identifying files containing at least one component on a specific object storage device, comprising:

at least one server that, for each component of each file, stores a pointer in an attribute field of the component, wherein the pointer points to a further component of the file; and

wherein the at least one server identifies files where at least one component has, in its attribute field, a pointer that points to a further component residing on the specific object storage device.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the specific object storage device corresponds to a failed object storage device, and the files identified by the at least one sever correspond to files in need of reconstruction.

7 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices, and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different object storage devices, a method for identifying files that are missing components, comprising:

for at least one component of each file, storing a count value in an attribute field of the component, wherein the count value corresponds to a maximum number of components for the file;

for each file, retrieving a list of components in the file and attempting to retrieve from an attribute field of at least one component of the file, the count value corresponding to the maximum number of components of the file; and

for each file, if the count value corresponding to the maximum number of components of the file was successfully retrieved from an attribute field of at least one component of the file, comparing a number of components on the list to the count value and determining whether the file has fewer components than the count value.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein a file is identified as having a metadata inconsistency if the attempt to retrieve the count value from an attribute field of at least one component of the file is unsuccessful.

9 . In a distributed object-based storage system that includes a plurality of object storage devices, and one or more clients that access distributed, object-based files from the object storage devices, each of said files being comprised of a plurality of object components residing on different object storage devices, a system for identifying files that are missing components, comprising:

at least one server that, for at least one component of each file, stores a count value in an attribute field of the component, wherein the count value corresponds to a maximum number of components for the file;

wherein, for each file, the at least one server retrieves a list of components in the file and attempts to retrieve from an attribute field of at least one component of the file the count value corresponding to the maximum number of components of the file; and

wherein, for each file, the at least one server compares a number of components on the list to the count value and determines whether the file has fewer components than the count value if the count value corresponding to the maximum number of components of the file was successfully retrieved from an attribute field of at least one component of the file.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one server identifies a file as having at least one missing component if the attempt to retrieve the count value from an attribute field of at least one component of the file is unsuccessful.