Abstract: Provided are systems and method for automated handling of one or more objects.

Abstract: A producer node may be included in a hierarchical, tree-shaped processing architecture, the architecture including at least one distributor node configured to distribute queries within the architecture, including distribution to the producer node and at least one other producer node within a predefined subset of producer nodes. The distributor node may be further configured to receive results from the producer node and results from the at least one other producer node and to output compiled results therefrom.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a storage system (400) may include a gateway service (402), metadata service (404) and storage service (406) that each provide different storage system functions. Each service (402, 404 and 406) may include a plurality of servers that are functionally de-coupled from one another. De-coupled servers may service requests without regard to the operation of other servers of the same service. Such a de-coupled arrangement can allow a storage system (400) to be scaled to meet increasing demands, as servers may be added to a system, on a service by service basis, without necessarily re-indexing stored information or reconfiguring multiple instances of a server application. Further, backup servers may be easily added to the system to enable fault tolerance. Servers of a particular service (402, 404 and 406) may be accessed according to a quality of service policy.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a metadata management system (MDS) may include partitioned migratable metadata. Metadata may be stored in multiple metadata partitions (102-0 to 102-11). Each metadata partition may be assigned to a particular system resource (104-0 to 104-5). According to predetermined policies, such as metadata aging, metadata stored in one metadata partition may be migrated to a different metadata partition. A forwarding object can be placed in the old metadata partition to indicate the new location of the migrated metadata. Metadata partitions (102-0 to 102-11) may be reassigned to different resources, split and/or merged allowing a high degree of scalability, as well as flexibility in meeting storage system needs.

Abstract: A system and method to allow scalability of file storage in terms of capacity and performance through a symmetric multicomputer architecture with shared storage, in which storage and protocol processing resources can be added to (or removed from) the system without any need of recognizing and/or explicitly migrating the data stored in the system. The invention permits accessing files stored (i.e., written) in any of multiple external protocol processing nodes to be retrieved from any other external protocol processing node.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a storage system (100) may include an interface component (106) having a number of gateway servers (114), a metadata service component (108) having a number of metadata servers (116), and a content service component (110) that includes a number of storage servers (118). Scalability may be improved by enabling servers to be added to each different component (106, 108 and 110) separately. Availability may be improved as software and/or hardware can be changed for host machine in a component (106, 108 and 110) while the remaining host machines of the component continue to function.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a metadata management system (MDS) may include partitioned migratable metadata. Metadata may be stored in multiple metadata partitions (102-0 to 102-11). Each metadata partition may be assigned to a particular system resource (104-0 to 104-5). According to predetermined policies, such as metadata aging, metadata stored in one metadata partition may be migrated to a different metadata partition. A forwarding object can be placed in the old metadata partition to indicate the new location of the migrated metadata. Metadata partitions (102-0 to 102-11) may be reassigned to different resources, split and/or merged allowing a high degree of scalability, as well as flexibility in meeting storage system needs.

Abstract: A system and method to allow scalability of file storage in terms of capacity and performance through a symmetric multicomputer architecture with shared storage, in which storage and protocol processing resources can be added to (or removed from) the system without any need of recognizing and/or explicitly migrating the data stored in the system. The invention permits accessing files stored (i.e., written) in any of multiple external protocol processing nodes to be retrieved from any other external protocol processing node.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a dynamic server directory (DSD) (300) may include a number of relational tables (302 to 314) having a number of entries. Entries of selected tables (304 to 306) may include information for a server in a distributed computing system. Such information may include a server identification, host machine identification, and server status information. Entries of another table (308) may include host route information. According to one embodiment, dynamic server directory agents (DSDAs), residing on the same machine as a client process, may cache tables of a DSD (300). For a given client request, a client may query a local DSDA to determine which server(s) may service the client request. The local DSDA may then return the route to one or more servers that are available to service the request. Server information in a DSD (300) may be changed in response to changes in server status. Such changes may then be forwarded to DSDAs.