Distributed snapshot process

1. A first storage server comprising:

a resource storage device, for storing a first subset of a partitioned resource;

a first connection, for accessing a second subset of the partitioned resource stored on a second storage server, and for exchanging information with the second storage server so that the first and second storage servers operate as a storage area network;

a second connection, for providing access to the partitioned resource as a whole by one or more network clients;

a routing table storage device, for maintaining a routing table indicating which of the first or second servers is responsible for which subset of the partitioned resource; and

a processor, for executing a snapshot process, the snapshot process determining data indicative of a state of at least the first subset of the partitioned resource, and for receiving data over the first connection from the second storage server indicative of a state of at least the second subset of the partitioned resource, and the snapshot process also generating snapshot state information representative of the partitioned resource as a whole, the snapshot state information being representative of a state of partitioned data as maintained by the first and second storage servers, and including at least information concerning a file structure of such partitioned data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor further sends a time stamped command to the second storage server to coordinate the snapshot state information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the snapshot process further receives requests for snapshot state information from the second storage server.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the processor further executes a request control process that includes a suspend process for suspending processing of requests from the second storage server.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the request control process includes a time-stamp process for time stamping requests received from the second server.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the snapshot process further analyzes suspended requests to determine requests received from the second server after a selected time.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an archive process for using the snapshot state information to create a copy of the partitioned resource.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an archive process for using the state information to simultaneously create copies of a plurality of resources partitioned across the first and second storage servers.

9. A process for providing a storage area network comprising the steps of:

storing a first subset of a partitioned resource on a first server;

accessing a second subset of the partitioned resource via a network connection to a second server;

allowing access to the partitioned resource as a whole by network clients only from the first server, with the network clients accessing the partitioned resource as a whole and not being given access to state information concerning partitioning of the resource among the first and second storage servers;

maintaining a routing table on the first server, the routing table indicating which of the first or second storage server is responsible for which subset of the partitioned resource; and

operating a snapshot process on the first server, with the snapshot process holding data of at least the first subset of the partitioned resources, and the snapshot process receiving information from at least a second snapshot process operating on the second server holding data of the second subset of the partitioned resources, and for generating a snapshot of those portions of the partitioned resources maintained by each respective server, and for generating snapshot state information representative of a state of partitioned data maintained by each respective server, the snapshot state information including at least a file structure of such data.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein coordinating snapshot processes includes coordinating snapshot processes operating on one of the servers with snapshot processes operating on all other servers that hold data of the subsets of the partitioned resources residing on the one server.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein coordinating snapshot processes between servers includes time-stamping a command that coordinates the at least one other snapshot process.

12. The process according to claim 9 , wherein operating a snapshot process includes operating a request control process for processing requests received by the respective server.

13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the request control process includes a suspend process for suspending processing of requests by the respective server.

14. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the request control process includes time stamping requests received by the respective server.

15. The process according to claim 12 , further including analyzing suspended requests to determine requests received after a selected time.