IP Library Granted Patent US 10,896,156
Granted Patent B2
US 10,896,156 · App. 16/043,693 · Granted Jan 19, 2021

Flexible synchronous file system replication

Inventors: Ben Jarvis (Mendota Heights, MN); Stephen Lord (Prior Lake, MN)
Assignee: Quantum Corporation
G06F16/178G06F16/113G06F16/13G06F16/148
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,896,156
App. No.
16/043,693
Granted
Jan 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus for replicating a file system (FS) that stores a file in a first location in a first data storage device, the apparatus comprising a query circuit configured to generate a spatial query that identifies a primary directory tree in the FS, and to receive a response to the query from the FS, where the response identifies a range of the primary directory tree in which a changed file may be found; a scan filter circuit configured to generate a scan filter based on the response, where the scan filter defines a portion of the primary directory tree that is smaller than the primary directory tree to search for a changed file; and a replication circuit configured to scan the portion of the primary directory tree, and upon detecting a changed file, replicate the changed file from the first location to a different location.

Claims (57)

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for replicating data in a file system (FS) that stores a file in a first location in a first data storage device, the method comprising:

generating a query that identifies a primary directory tree in the FS, where the FS includes a metadata archive, where the metadata archive includes a spatial database, and where the metadata archive stores metadata about the file stored in the FS in the spatial database;

querying the metadata archive with the query;

receiving a response to the query from the metadata archive, where the response indicates a range of the primary directory tree in which a changed file may be found;

generating a scan filter based, at least in part, on the response to the query from the metadata archive, where the scan filter defines a portion of the primary directory tree to search for a changed file, where the portion of the primary directory tree is smaller than the primary directory tree;

scanning the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file; and

upon detecting a changed file:

replicating the changed file from the first location to a second, different location.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where scanning the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file includes walking less than the entire primary directory tree.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where the FS has a journal, and where the metadata archive is updated synchronously in real time by the journal.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where the query that identifies the primary directory tree in the FS is a spatial query.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where the query that identifies the primary directory tree in the FS further identifies a time window within which to search for a changed file.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where querying the metadata archive includes querying the metadata archive using Farey sequence encoded information as an index.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where replicating the changed file includes copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in a second, different data storage device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , where replicating the changed file includes copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in the first data storage device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

upon detecting that the changed file is subject to a cool-down condition:

upon detecting that the cool-down condition has been met:

replicating the changed file from the first location to a second, different location.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that in response to execution cause a file system replication system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

generating a spatial query that identifies a primary directory tree in a file system (FS) in which to search for a changed file, where the FS stores a file in a first location in a first data storage device, where the FS includes a metadata archive, where the metadata archive includes a spatial database, and where the metadata archive stores metadata about a file stored in the FS in the spatial database;

querying the metadata archive with the spatial query;

receiving a response to the spatial query from the metadata archive, where the response indicates a range of the primary directory tree in which a changed file may be found;

generating a scan filter based, at least in part, on the response to the spatial query from the metadata archive, where the scan filter defines a portion of the primary directory tree to search for a changed file, where the portion of the primary directory tree is smaller than the primary directory tree;

scanning the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file; and

upon detecting a changed file:

replicating the changed file to a second, different location.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , where scanning the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file includes scanning less than the entire primary directory tree.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , where the FS has a journal, and where the metadata archive is updated synchronously in real time by the journal.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , where the query that identifies the primary directory tree in the FS in which to search for a changed file further identifies a time window within which search for a changed file.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , where querying the metadata archive includes querying the metadata archive using Farey sequence encoded information as an index.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , where replicating the changed file to a second different location includes copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in the first data storage device, or copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in a second, different data storage device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 10 , the operations further comprising:

upon detecting that the changed file is subject to a cool-down condition:

upon detecting that the cool-down condition has been met:

replicating the changed file from the first location to a second, different location.

17. An apparatus for replicating a file system (FS) that stores a file in a first location in a first data storage device, the apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a replication policy;

a processor;

a set of circuits; and

an interface that connects the memory, the processor, and the set of circuits, the set of circuits comprising:

a query circuit configured to generate a spatial query that identifies a primary directory tree in the FS in which to search for a changed file, where the query circuit generates the spatial query based, at least in part, on the replication policy, and

where the query circuit is further configured to receive a response to the spatial query from the FS, where the response identifies a range of the primary directory tree in which a changed file may be found;

a scan filter circuit configured to:

generate a scan filter based, at least in part, on the response to the spatial query, where the scan filter defines a portion of the primary directory tree to search for a changed file, where the portion of the primary directory tree is smaller than the primary directory tree; and

a replication circuit configured to:

scan the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file, and

upon detecting a changed file:

replicate the changed file from the first location to a second, different location.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , where scanning the portion of the primary directory tree defined by the scan filter for a changed file includes walking less than the entire primary directory tree.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , where replicating the changed file from the first location to a second, different location includes copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in the first data storage device, or copying the changed file from the first location in the first data storage device to a second, different location in a second, different data storage device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , the set of circuits further comprising a cool-down circuit configured to:

upon the replication circuit detecting a changed file:

detect if the changed file is subject to a cool-down condition; and

upon detecting that the changed file is subject to a cool-down condition:

upon detecting that the cool-down condition has been met:

controlling the replication circuit to replicate the changed file from the first location to a second, different location.

Assignments (12)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2025
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 074024/0084 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SUPPLEMENT TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT AT REEL/FRAME NO. 46744/0570 Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: QUANTUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072542/0270 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF AMENDED AND RESTATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT AT REEL/FRAME NO. 48029/0525 Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: QUANTUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072542/0594 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2025
From: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 071019/0850 →
SUPPLEMENT TO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION; QUANTUM LTO HOLDINGS, LLC
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE, LLC
Reel/Frame 064069/0563 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2021
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: QUANTUM CORPORATION; QUANTUM LTO HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057142/0252 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2019
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 048029/0525 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2018
From: TCW ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, AS AGENT
To: QUANTUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047865/0556 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2018
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION, AS GRANTOR; QUANTUM LTO HOLDINGS, LLC, AS GRANTOR
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 049153/0518 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 046744/0570 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2018
From: QUANTUM CORPORATION
To: TCW ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 046707/0752 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2018
From: JARVIS, BEN; LORD, STEPHEN
To: QUANTUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046596/0586 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,572,273