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 array 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;
enforcing a set of policies against the policy data in the data object's metadata during a life cycle of the data object, the set of policies including 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;
wherein the policy enforcement for at least one policy for the data object is configurable; and
displaying a current policy status for each of the set of policies that are being enforced.
2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the policy enforcement for the at least one policy for the data object is carried out independent of policy enforcement for at least one other data object.
3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the policy enforcement for the at least one policy for the data object is configured according to a run frequency.
4. The apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein the run frequency has a default value.
5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the policy enforcement for the at least one policy for the data object is configured according to a tunable parameter.