File server program
A file server program that performs proper load distribution among a plurality of file servers. One of the plurality of file servers judges whether to perform a process in compliance with a request to manipulate a file on the basis of judgment conditions predefined for judging which process of processes performed by a cluster it should take charge of when it receives the request to manipulate a file of requests to manipulate a file sent to the plurality of file servers included in the cluster. If it judges that it must perform a process in compliance with the request to manipulate a file, it performs a process on a storage device which it manages in compliance with the request to manipulate a file.
1. A computer-readable storage medium having a file server program for a plurality of file servers included in a cluster, the program making every file server perform operations comprising:
judging whether to perform a process in compliance with a file manipulation request sent to all the plurality of file servers included in the cluster on the basis of judgment conditions predefined for judging which process of processes performed by the cluster the file server should take charge of at the time of receiving the file manipulation request; and
performing a process on a storage device which the file server manages in compliance with the file manipulation request in the case of judging that the file server must perform a process in compliance with the file manipulation request;
wherein the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is predefined;
the file server's turn in the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is defined in the judgment conditions;
in response to the file manipulation request being a request to create a directory, the order in which file servers create child directories under a common parent directory is defined by the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes; and
in response to a child directory being created, identification information for a file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory is stored, and the other file servers are informed of the identification information of the file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory.
2. The computer-readable storage medium having the file server program according to claim 1 , wherein:
a process corresponding to the file manipulation request including a portion assigned as a process in the file server's charge is defined as the judgment conditions; and
when a process is performed in compliance with the file manipulation request, the file server performs only the portion assigned as a process in the file server's charge.
3. The computer-readable storage medium having the file server program according to claim 1 , wherein:
if the file manipulation request is a request to write a file, a rule for selecting data to be written by the file server from file data obtained by dividing the file is defined as the judgment conditions; and
when a process is performed in compliance with the file manipulation request, the file server stores the data to be written by the file server in a storage device which the file server manages.
4. The computer-readable storage medium having the file server program according to claim 1 , wherein:
if the file manipulation request is a request to read a file, the file being stored in a storage device managed by the file server is defined as the judgment conditions; and
when a process is performed in compliance with the file manipulation request, the file server reads the file from the storage device and sends the file to a unit which outputs the file manipulation request.
5. The computer-readable storage medium having the file server program according to claim 1 , wherein:
if the file manipulation request is a request to read file data which forms part of a file, the file data being stored in a storage device managed by the file server is defined as the judgment conditions; and
when a process is performed in compliance with the file manipulation request, the file server reads the file data from the storage device and sends the file data to a unit which outputs the file manipulation request.
6. A method for manipulating a file by a computer which functions as one of a plurality of file servers included in a cluster, the method comprising:
judging whether to perform a process in compliance with a file manipulation request sent to all the plurality of file servers on the basis of judgment conditions predefined for judging which process of processes performed by the cluster the computer should take charge of at the time of receiving the file manipulation request; and
performing a process on a storage device under the management of the computer in compliance with the file manipulation request in the case of judging that the computer must perform a process in compliance with the file manipulation request;
wherein the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is predefined;
the computer's turn in the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is defined in the judgment conditions;
in response to the file manipulation request being a request to create a directory, the order in which file servers create child directories under a common parent directory is defined by the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes; and
in response to a child directory being created, identification information for a file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory is stored, and the other file servers are informed of the identification information of the file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory.
7. A file server which functions as one of a plurality of units included in a cluster, the server comprising:
a storage device;
a judgment section for judging whether to perform a process in compliance with a file manipulation request sent to all the plurality of units included in the cluster on the basis of judgment conditions predefined for judging which process of processes performed by the cluster the file server should take charge of at the time of receiving the file manipulation request; and
a process performance section for performing a process on the storage device in compliance with the file manipulation request in the case of the judgment section judging that the file server must perform a process in compliance with the request file manipulation;
wherein the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is predefined;
the computer's turn in the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes is defined in the judgment conditions;
in response to the file manipulation request being a request to create a directory, the order in which file servers create child directories under a common parent directory is defined by the order in which the plurality of file servers included in the cluster take charge of processes; and
in response to a child directory being created, identification information for a file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory is stored, and the other file servers are informed of the identification information of the file server which created the child directory last under the parent directory.