Abstract: A hardware-based file system includes multiple linked sub-modules that perform functions ancillary to client data handling. Each sub-module is associated with a metadata cache. A doubly-rooted structure is used to store each file system object at successive checkpoints. Metadata is stored within an object and/or as a separate object. Provisions are made for allocating sparse objects. A delayed write feature is used for writing certain objects into non-volatile storage. Checkpoints can be retained as read-only versions of the file system. Modifications to the file system are accomplished without affecting the contents of retained checkpoints. The file system can be reverted to a retained checkpoint. Multiple file servers can be interconnected as a cluster, and each file server stores requests from another file server. Interconnections between file servers can be dynamically modified. A distributed locking mechanism is used to control access to file system objects stored by the file servers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 1, 2002
Date of Patent:
November 25, 2008
Assignee:
BlueArc UK Limited
Inventors:
Geoffrey S. Barrall, Simon L. Benham, Trevor E. Willis, Christopher J. Aston
Abstract: A system, device, and method for managing file security attributes in a computer file storage system generates a set of Windows file security attributes from a set of UNIX file security attributes. The set of Windows file security attributes includes a UNIX-specific SID for a UNIX name that could not be translated into a Windows name. The set of Windows file security attributes also includes a set of Windows file permissions derived from a set of UNIX file permissions.
Abstract: A hardware-based file system includes multiple linked sub-modules that perform functions ancillary to client data handling. Each sub-module is associated with a metadata cache. A doubly-rooted structure is used to store each file system object at successive checkpoints. Metadata is stored within an object and/or as a separate object. Provisions are made for allocating sparse objects. A delayed write feature is used for writing certain objects into non-volatile storage. Checkpoints can be retained as read-only versions of the file system. Modifications to the file system are accomplished without affecting the contents of retained checkpoints. The file system can be reverted to a retained checkpoint. Multiple file servers can be interconnected as a cluster, and each file server stores requests from another file server. Interconnections between file servers can be dynamically modified. A distributed locking mechanism is used to control access to file system objects stored by the file servers.
Type:
Application
Filed:
August 20, 2007
Publication date:
February 14, 2008
Applicant:
BLUEARC UK LIMITED
Inventors:
Geoffrey Barrall, Simon Benham, Trevor Willis, Christopher Aston
Abstract: A network-attached system, device, and method supports multiple storage tiers. Data may be migrated between storage tiers, for example, based on a data migration policy.
Type:
Application
Filed:
June 25, 2007
Publication date:
December 27, 2007
Applicant:
BLUEARC UK LIMITED
Inventors:
Brett Penny, Neil Clarkson, Geoffrey Barrall
Abstract: A network-attached system, device, and method supports storage devices having a plurality of storage device types, such as Fibre Channel storage devices, ATA storage devices, serial attached SCSI storage devices, serial ATA storage devices, and solid stage storage devices. Each storage device having a different storage device type is associated with a set of management rules. The management rules may includes rules for such things as identifying the dedicated storage device, configuring the dedicated storage device, sending disk protocol messages to the dedicated storage device, handling disk protocol message received from the dedicated storage device, and handling error and exception conditions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 4, 2003
Date of Patent:
June 26, 2007
Assignee:
BlueArc UK Limited
Inventors:
Brett A. Penny, Neil A. Clarkson, Geoffrey S. Barrall
Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment handles service requests over a network, wherein the network utilizes a protocol. In this aspect, the apparatus includes: a network subsystem for receiving and transmitting network service requests using the network protocol; and a service subsystem, coupled to the network subsystem, for satisfying the network service requests. At least one of the network subsystem and the service subsystem is hardware-implemented; the other of the network subsystem and the service subsystem may optionally be hardware-accelerated. A variety of related embodiments are also provided, including file servers and web servers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2001
Date of Patent:
November 30, 2004
Assignee:
BlueArc UK Limited
Inventors:
Geoffrey S. Barrall, Trevor Willis, Simon Benham, Michael Cooper, Jonathan Meyer, Christopher J. Aston, John Winfield