Abstract: A system and method maintains mappings from data containers to their parent directories within a file system of a storage system. Each inode is modified to include a primary name data structure comprising a parent directory inode and a parent directory cookie value. The parent directory cookie value identifies a particular directory entry within a specified block of a directory identified by parent directory inode. An alternate name file is utilized to store alternate names, such as those associated with hard links.

Abstract: Synchronous local and cross-site switchover and switchback operations of a node in a disaster recovery (DR) group are described. In one embodiment, during switchover, a takeover node receives a failover request and responsively identifies a first partner node in a first cluster and a second partner node in a second cluster. The first partner node and the takeover node form a first high-availability (HA) group and the second partner node and a third partner node in the second cluster form a second HA group. The first and second HA groups form the DR group and share a storage fabric. The takeover node synchronously restores client access requests associated with a failed partner node at the takeover node.

Abstract: A system and method for maintaining multiple inode containers is used to manage file system objects in a single logical volume of a network storage server. The system provides multiple inode containers to store metadata for file system objects in the logical volume. The system may use a first inode container to store private inodes used by the storage server and a second inode container to store public inodes that are useable by clients of the storage server. During a replication process, a source storage server generates a set of replication operations based on inodes in the public inode container and excluding inodes in the private inode container. In a destination server implementing multiple inode containers, the server generates inodes based on the replication operations and stores the inodes in the public inode container. These new inodes are stored in the public inode container with the same inode number or identifier as the corresponding inode on the source storage server.

Abstract: A system and method maintains mappings from data containers to their parent directories within a file system of a storage system. Each inode is modified to include a primary name data structure comprising a parent directory inode and a parent directory cookie value. The parent directory cookie value identifies a particular directory entry within a specified block of a directory identified by parent directory inode. An alternate name file is utilized to store alternate names, such as those associated with hard links.