Peer-to-peer redundant file server system and methods
View Patent ↗Peer-to-peer redundant file server system and methods include clients that determine a target storage provider to contact for a particular storage transaction based on a pathname provided by the filesystem and a predetermined scheme such as a hash function applied to a portion of the pathname. Servers use the same scheme to determine where to store relevant file information so that the clients can locate the file information. The target storage provider may store the file itself and/or may store metadata that identifies one or more other storage providers where the file is stored. A file may be replicated in multiple storage providers, and the metadata may include a list of storage providers from which the clients can select (e.g., randomly) in order to access the file.
1. A file storage system, for handling a standard file system request including a path name, the system comprising:
a plurality of storage providers;
a client, in communication with the storage providers, that accepts the file system request and generates, for fulfillment, a corresponding reformatted request to a selected one of the storage providers, the selected one of the storage providers being initially selected by the client on the basis of a hashing algorithm applied to at least a portion of the path name, so that the client serves as an interface between the standard file system request and the storage providers, wherein each storage provider is a virtual server running on one or more physical servers, the virtual server including a plurality of peer to peer computer processes forming a set of peer nodes.
2. A file storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the peer nodes cooperate to control access to a file or its storage metadata.
3. A file storage system according to claim 1 , wherein a specified request directed to a specified virtual server is delivered to all peer nodes of the virtual server but the set is configured so that only a single one of the peer nodes responds to the specified request.
4. A file storage system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the peer nodes is implemented as a distinct physical storage medium coupled to a distinct microprocessor.
5. A file storage system according to claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of physical storage servers, each physical storage server including a plurality of physical storage media and a microprocessor, wherein each virtual server is configured with a distinct storage server being associated with each peer node of the set.