Policy-based management of a redundant array of independent nodes
View Patent ↗An archive cluster application runs in a distributed manner across a redundant array of independent nodes. Each node preferably runs a complete archive cluster application instance. A given nodes provides a data repository, which stores up to a large amount (e.g., a terabyte) of data, while also acting as a portal that enables access to archive files. Each symmetric node has a set of software processes, e.g., a request manager, a storage manager, a metadata manager, and a policy manager. The request manager manages requests to the node for data (i.e., file data), the storage manager manages data read/write functions from a disk associated with the node, and the metadata manager facilitates metadata transactions and recovery across the distributed database. The policy manager implements one or more policies, which are operations that determine the behavior of an “archive object” within the cluster. The archive cluster application provides object-based storage. Preferably, the application permanently associates metadata and policies with the raw archived data, which together comprise an archive object. Object policies govern the object's behavior in the archive. As a result, the archive manages itself independently of client applications, acting automatically to ensure that all object policies are valid.
1. Apparatus for use in a redundant away of independent nodes networked together, wherein each node executes an instance of an application that provides object-based storage, comprising:
a processor;
computer memory holding computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method comprising:
as given fixed content data is written to a given node, generating a data object that encapsulates the given fixed content data together with metadata that includes policy data;
storing the data object; and
enforcing a set of one or more policies against the policy data in the data object's metadata during a life cycle of the data object;
wherein the policy enforcement for the data object is carried out independent of policy enforcement for at least one other data object.
2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the set of one or more policies include one of: a data protection policy, an authentication policy, a retention policy, a cluster balance policy, a garbage collection policy, a scavenger policy, and a duplicate elimination policy.
3. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the data protection policy identifies a tolerable-points-of failure (TPOF) value.
4. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the authentication policy identifies a given cryptographic function for use in verifying authenticity of at least a portion of the given fixed content data in the data object.
5. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the authentication policy identifies a run frequency value, and a given cryptographic function for use in periodically verifying authenticity of at least a portion of the given fixed content in the data object according to the run frequency value.
6. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the retention policy identifies a retention period for the given fixed content data.
7. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the cluster balance policy retention policy comprises storage capacity utilization associated with a given node.
8. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the garbage collection policy identifies a run frequency value.
9. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the policy data associated with the scavenger policy identifies a run frequency value.
10. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the method further includes providing access to the given fixed content data over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based protocol, the IP-based protocol being one of: HTTP, FTP, NFS, AFS, SMB and a Web service.
11. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the method further includes enabling access to the data object via an access layer that emulates a native file system.