File system adapted for use with a dispersed data storage network
View Patent ↗A computer a network interface and a central processing unit. The network interface communicates with a network. The central processing unit (CPU) is operable to receive a networked file system access request packet and to identify a root directory based on the networked file system access request packet. The CPU then identifies a file directory based on the root directory and the networked file system access request packet. The CPU then identifies file object metadata based on the file directory and identifies a set of slice servers based on the file object metadata and the networked file system access request packet. The CPU then issues, via the network interface, a set of commands to a set of slice servers regarding the networked file system access request packet.
1. A method for execution by a computer, the method comprises:
receiving an access request packet regarding a set of data slices, wherein a file object is information dispersal algorithm (IDA) encoded to produce the set of data slices and wherein the set of data slices are stored in slice servers of a dispersed data storage network (DDSN);
when the access request packet is regarding reading the file object from the DDSN:
accessing a root directory of a file system based on the access request packet to identify next directory metadata of a next directory;
when the next directory is not cached:
issuing, based on the next directory metadata, commands to one or more of the slice servers to retrieve IDA encoded slices of the next directory; and
decoding the IDA encoded slices of the next directory to recover the next directory;
when the next directory is the home directory for the set of data slices, accessing file object metadata regarding the set of data slices from the next directory;
issuing, based on the file object metadata, a set of commands to the slice servers regarding the set of data slices; and
decoding at least a threshold number of data slices of the set of data slices to recover the file object.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
when the next directory is an intervening directory, entering a loop that includes:
accessing the intervening directory to identify another next directory metadata of another next directory;
when the other next directory is not cached:
issuing, based on the other next directory metadata, commands to one or more of the slice servers to retrieve IDA encoded slices of the other next directory; and
decoding the IDA encoded slices of the other next directory to recover the other next directory;
when the other next directory is not the home directory, repeating the loop for yet another next directory as the other next directory; and
when the other next directory is the home directory, existing the loop; and
accessing the file object metadata regarding the set of data slices from the other next directory.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprises:
when the other next directory is cached, accessing the other next directory from cache memory.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the issuing the set of commands issue further comprises:
interpreting the file object metadata to identify the file object; and
identifying the set of slice servers based on the file object.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
when the next directory is cached, accessing the next directory from cache memory.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
when the access request packet is regarding creating the file object:
creating the file object metadata for the file object regarding storage of the file object in the DDSN;
adding the file object metadata to the home directory to produce an updated home directory;
IDA encoding the updated home directory to produce a set of encoded home directory slices; and
issuing commands to the store the set of encoded home directory slices in at least one of the slice servers.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the file system comprises one or more of:
Network File System (NFS), Common Internet File System (CIFS), Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).
8. A computer comprises:
a network interface for communicating with a network; and
a central processing unit operable to:
receive an access request packet regarding a set of data slices, wherein a file object is information dispersal algorithm (IDA) encoded to produce the set of data slices and wherein the set of data slices are stored in slice servers of a dispersed data storage network (DDSN);
when the access request packet is regarding reading the file object from the DDSN:
access a root directory of a file system based on the access request packet to identify next directory metadata of a next directory;
when the next directory is not cached:
issue, based on the next directory metadata, commands to one or more of the slice servers to retrieve IDA encoded slices of the next directory; and
decode the IDA encoded slices of the next directory to recover the next directory;
when the next directory is the home directory for the set of data slices, accessing file object metadata regarding the set of data slices from the next directory;
issue, via the network interface and based on the file object metadata, a set of commands to the slice servers regarding the set of data slices; and
decode at least a threshold number of data slices of the set of data slices to recover the file object.
9. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit is further operable to:
when the next directory is an intervening directory, enter a loop that includes:
accessing the intervening directory to identify another next directory metadata of another next directory;
when the other next directory is not cached:
issuing, based on the other next directory metadata, commands to one or more of the slice servers to retrieve IDA encoded slices of the other next directory; and
decoding the IDA encoded slices of the other next directory to recover the other next directory;
when the other next directory is not the home directory, repeating the loop for yet another next directory as the other next directory; and
when the other next directory is the home directory, existing the loop; and
access the file object metadata regarding the set of data slices from the other next directory.
10. The computer of claim 9 , wherein the central processing unit is further operable to:
when the other next directory is cached, access the other next directory from cache memory.
11. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit is further operable to issue the plurality of commands issue by:
interpreting the file object metadata to identify the file object; and
identifying the set of slice servers based on the file object.
12. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit is further operable to:
when the next directory is cached, access the next directory from cache memory.
13. The computer of claim 9 , wherein the central processing unit is further operable to:
when the access request packet is regarding creating the file object:
create the file object metadata for the file object regarding storage of the file object in the DDSN;
add the file object metadata to the home directory to produce an updated home directory;
IDA encoding the updated home directory to produce a set of encoded home directory slices; and
issue commands to the store the set of encoded home directory slices in at least one of the slice servers.
14. The computer of claim 8 , wherein the file system comprises one or more of:
Network File System (NFS), Common Internet File System (CIFS), Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV), and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).