Patents Assigned to Isilon Systems, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20110196899
    Abstract: A treewalk for splitting a file directory is disclosed for parallel execution of work items over a filesystem. The given work item is assigned to a worker. Thereafter, a request is sent to split the file directory to share a portion of the file directory with another worker. The worker examines the file directory for a next splittable directory entry key after a current in-progress location within a key space for the file directory. If no key is detected, the file directory is identified as unsplittable. If an entry is detected, the key space is progressively searched for a next entry between a next available directory entry key and an upper boundary. The worker identifies the file directory as splittable if the next available entry is found, providing a range of entries within the file directory for which parallel execution of the work item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Hughes, Sean MacQueen Smith, Kalen Albert Petersen, Eric Michael Lemar
  • Publication number: 20110145195
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack, Peter J. Godman, Robert J. Anderson, Neal T. Fachan
  • Publication number: 20110113211
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that implements domain quotas within a data storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110087635
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In an embodiment, a snapshot tracking data structure is maintained for efficient creation and deletion of the snapshot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Justin M. Husted, Eric M. Lemar, Darren P. Schack
  • Publication number: 20110087928
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing stalled storage devices of a storage system. In one embodiment, a method for managing access to storage devices includes determining that a first storage device, which stores a first resource, is stalled and transitioning the first storage device to a stalled state. The method also includes receiving an access request for at least a portion of the first resource while the first storage device is in the stalled state and attempting to provide access to a representation of the portion of the first resource from at least a second storage device that is not in a stalled state. In another embodiment, a method of managing access requests by a thread for a resource stored on a storage device includes initializing a thread access level for an access request by a thread for the resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Asif Daud, Tyler A. Akidau, Ilya Maykov, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7917474
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack, Peter J. Godman, Robert J. Anderson, Neal T. Fachan
  • Publication number: 20110060779
    Abstract: In general, the invention relates to supporting multiple different character encodings in the same file system. In one embodiment, a method is provided for filename lookup that supports multiple character encodings. The method comprises storing filename data in a first character encoding into an indexed data structure. The method further comprises receiving filename data in a second encoding. The method also comprises looking up filename data in the indexed data structure using the second encoding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Lemar, Nathan N. White
  • Patent number: 7900015
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that implements domain quotas within a data storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7899800
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110044209
    Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide a quiescing protocol. In one embodiment, nodes of a system utilize the protocol to complete processing until they reach a consistent state. In one embodiment, a coordinator initiates the quiescing process and the nodes communicate with each other to determine whether their messages have been processed and communicate with the coordinator to determine when all of the messages have been processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Neal T. Fachan
  • Publication number: 20110035412
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide an indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is mirrored index tree where the copies of the nodes of the tree are stored across devices in a distributed system. In one embodiment, nodes that are stored on an offline device are restored, and an offline device that comes back online is merged into the distributed system and given access to the current indexing data structure. In one embodiment, the indexing data structure is traversed to locate and restore nodes that are stored on offline devices of the distributed system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Aaron J. Passey, Darren P. Schack
  • Patent number: 7882068
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device communicates with a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In some embodiments, systems and methods intelligently choose whether to use copy-on-write or point-in-time copy when saving data in a snapshot version of a file whose current version is being overwritten. In some embodiments, systems and methods allow snapshot users to return from a snapshot directory to the immediate parent directory from which the user entered into the snapshot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren P. Schack, Eric M. Lemar, Neal T. Fachan
  • Patent number: 7882071
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In one embodiment, previous versions of a file or directory are stored only in response to a request to modify the file or directory. The system creates and updates a snapshot tracking data structure which provides information regarding each file or directory governed by the snapshot that was modified or deleted after the snapshot was taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Justin M. Husted, Eric M. Lemar, Darren P. Schack
  • Publication number: 20110022790
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110016155
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to incremental computing. Specifically, embodiments of the invention include systems and methods that provide for the concurrent processing of multiple, incremental changes to a data value while at the same time monitoring and/or enforcing threshold values for that data value. For example, a method is provided that determines whether multiple incremental changes to a data field could pass a threshold based on keeping track of a possible value range for the data field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Neal T. Fachan, Peter J. Godman, Justin M. Husted, Aaron J. Passey
  • Publication number: 20110016353
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for scanning files and directories in a distributed file system on a network of nodes. The nodes include metadata with attribute information corresponding to files and directories distributed on the nodes. In one embodiment, the files and directories are scanned by commanding the nodes to search their respective metadata for a selected attribute. At least two of the nodes are capable of searching their respective metadata in parallel. In one embodiment, the distributed file system commands the nodes to search for metadata data structures having location information corresponding to a failed device on the network. The metadata data structures identified in the search may then be used to reconstruct lost data that was stored on the failed device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEM, INC.
    Inventors: Paul A. Mikesell, Robert J. Anderson, Peter J. Godman, Darren P. Schack, Nathan E. Dire
  • Patent number: 7870345
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing stalled storage devices of a storage system. In one embodiment, a method for managing access to storage devices includes determining that a first storage device, which stores a first resource, is stalled and transitioning the first storage device to a stalled state. The method also includes receiving an access request for at least a portion of the first resource while the first storage device is in the stalled state and attempting to provide access to a representation of the portion of the first resource from at least a second storage device that is not in a stalled state. In another embodiment, a method of managing access requests by a thread for a resource stored on a storage device includes initializing a thread access level for an access request by a thread for the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Asif Daud, Tyler A. Akidau, Ilya Maykov, Aaron J. Passey
  • Patent number: 7848261
    Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide a quiescing protocol. In one embodiment, nodes of a system utilize the protocol to complete processing until they reach a consistent state. In one embodiment, a coordinator initiates the quiescing process and the nodes communicate with each other to determine whether their messages have been processed and communicate with the coordinator to determine when all of the messages have been processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Neal T. Fachan
  • Publication number: 20100306786
    Abstract: In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for tracking events wherein an event system monitors certain areas of a system. When an event occurs in one area of the system, the event system notifies the processes listening to that area of the system of the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: ISILON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron J. Passey, Neal T. Fachan
  • Patent number: 7844617
    Abstract: In general, the invention relates to supporting multiple different character encodings in the same file system. In one embodiment, a method is provided for filename lookup that supports multiple character encodings. The method comprises storing filename data in a first character encoding into an indexed data structure. The method further comprises receiving filename data in a second encoding. The method also comprises looking up filename data in the indexed data structure using the second encoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Isilon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric M. Lemar, Nathan N. White