Patents Assigned to Panzura, Inc
  • Patent number: 9805056
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for synchronizing file updates between two cloud controllers of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to access a file in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller sends a synchronization update request for the file to a second cloud controller and in response receives a synchronization update for the file from the second cloud controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Christopher Parkison, Andrew P. Davis, John Richard Taylor
  • Patent number: 9792298
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing metadata and data storage for a cloud controller in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems. More specifically, the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the data stored in the cloud storage systems, with each cloud controller maintaining (e.g., storing) in a local storage device: (1) one or more metadata regions containing a metadata hierarchy that reflects the current state of the distributed filesystem; and (2) cached data for the distributed filesystem. During operation, the cloud controller receives an incremental metadata snapshot that references new data written to the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller stores updated metadata from this incremental metadata snapshot in one of the metadata regions on the local storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 9792294
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for using byte-range locks to manage multiple concurrent accesses to a file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a first client a request to access a portion of the file. The cloud controller contacts the owning cloud controller for the portion of the file to request a byte-range lock for that portion of the file. The owning cloud controller returns a byte-range lock to the requesting cloud controller if no other clients of the distributed filesystem are currently locking the requested portion of the file with conflicting accesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC
    Inventors: Yun Lin, Richard Sharpe
  • Publication number: 20170235485
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for optimizing caching performance for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and cloud controllers cache portions of the distributed filesystem on hard drives with rotating disk platters. The outside portions of these disk platters have higher I/O bandwidth than the inside portions of the disk platters. During operation, a cloud controller determines that a hot subset of cached data is likely to be accessed frequently by clients, and stores this hot subset to an outside portion of a disk platter. The cloud controller further determines that a cold subset of cache data is less likely to be accessed by clients, and stores the cold subset on an inside portion of a disk platter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Davis, John Richard Taylor
  • Patent number: 9679040
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide techniques for performing deduplication for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives an incremental metadata snapshot that references new data that was added to the distributed filesystem by a remote cloud controller. The cloud controller extracts a set of deduplication information from this incremental metadata snapshot. Upon receiving a subsequent client write request (e.g., a file write that includes one or more data blocks), the cloud controller uses the extracted deduplication information to determine that one or more data blocks in the client write request have already been written to the distributed filesystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Davis, John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou
  • Patent number: 9678968
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for deleting a file from a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers store metadata for the distributed filesystem, and cache and ensure data consistency for the data stored in the cloud storage systems. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to delete a file from the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller updates a user view of the distributed filesystem to present the appearance of the target file being deleted to the client, and then initiates a background deletion operation to delete the target file without negatively affecting the performance of the other users of the distributed filesystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 9678981
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that adjusts the characteristics of a distributed filesystem using a locality policy. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives a locality policy that specifies one or more management policies for the cloud controller. The portion of the distributed filesystem's data that is managed, created, and/or cached at the cloud controller is then managed based on this locality policy. Locality policies facilitate customizing and optimizing data management for the distributed filesystem to fit the needs of an organization (e.g., specific sets of users, applications, and/or datasets).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 9646022
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for providing distributed change notifications for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to access a file in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller determines that the file needs strong read-after write consistency and sends a registration notification to the other cloud controllers of the distributed filesystem to request immediate notification of any changes to the file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Yun Lin, John Richard Taylor
  • Patent number: 9613064
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques that facilitate the recovery of a virtual machine using a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem in a local storage pool. During operation, a host server executes program instructions for an application in a virtual machine (VM); data associated with this application and/or this virtual machine is stored in the distributed filesystem. Upon detecting a subsequent failure, the system can recover and resume the execution of the virtual machine and application using the previous application and virtual machine data that was stored in the distributed filesystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Randy Yen-pang Chou, John Richard Taylor, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 9613048
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for sending interim notifications to a client of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to access a file. The cloud controller determines that it will need to contact at least one of another peer cloud controller or a cloud storage system to service the request, and sends an interim notification to the client to notify the client that the request is pending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Yun Lin, John Richard Taylor
  • Publication number: 20160277497
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for facilitating access to a remote cloud service via a cloud controller for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller detects a request from a co-located client to access a network address that is in the same subnet of their local network. The cloud controller determines that the network address is associated with the remote cloud service (which executes in a cloud storage environment) and forwards the request to the remote cloud service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: Greig W. Bannister, John Richard Taylor
  • Publication number: 20160072888
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for sending interim notifications to clients of a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to perform a namespace operation upon a filesystem object. The cloud controller determines that it will need to contact at least one of another peer cloud controller or a cloud storage system to service the request, and sends an interim notification to the client to notify the client that the request is pending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Hyuntae Jung, Shishir Mondal, John Richard Taylor, Yun Lin
  • Publication number: 20160072889
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for maintaining global name consistency for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives a client request to perform a namespace operation upon a filesystem object. The cloud controller contacts the cloud controller that manages (“owns”) the portion of the global namespace for the distributed filesystem that includes the filesystem object. This second cloud controller ensures the consistency of the filesystem object across the distributed filesystem during the namespace operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: PANZURA, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Hyuntae Jung, Shishir Mondal, John Richard Taylor, Yun Lin
  • Patent number: 8805967
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that distributes data for a distributed filesystem across multiple cloud storage systems. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. Whenever each cloud controller receives new data from a client, it outputs an incremental metadata snapshot for the new data that is propagated to the other cloud controllers and an incremental data snapshot containing the new data that is sent to a cloud storage system. During operation, a backup cloud controller associated with the distributed filesystem is also configured to receive each (incremental) metadata snapshot, such that, upon determining the failure of a cloud controller, the backup cloud controller can immediately begin receiving data requests from clients associated with the failed cloud controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 8805968
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that archives data for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client for a data block of a file stored in the distributed filesystem. Upon determining that the requested data block is not currently cached in the cloud controller, the cloud controller sends a peer cache request for the requested data block to a peer cloud controller in the distributed filesystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 8799413
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that distributes data for a distributed filesystem across multiple cloud storage systems. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. Whenever each cloud controller receives new data from a client, it outputs an incremental metadata snapshot for the new data that is propagated to the other cloud controllers and an incremental data snapshot containing the new data that is sent to a cloud storage system. During operation, data stored in the distributed filesystem can be distributed across two or more cloud storage systems to optimize performance and/or cost for the distributed filesystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 8799414
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that archives data for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller determines that a cloud file in a previously stored data snapshot is no longer being actively referenced in the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller transfers this cloud file from the (first) cloud storage system to an archival cloud storage system, thereby reducing storage costs while preserving the data in the cloud file in case it is ever needed again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 8788628
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates pre-fetching data for a distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller (e.g., a computing device that caches data from the distributed filesystem) that maintains a set of metadata for the distributed filesystem receives a request to access a data block for a file. The cloud controller traverses the metadata to identify a metadata entry that is associated with the block, and then uses this metadata entry to download a cloud file containing the data block from a cloud storage system. While performing these operations, the cloud controller additionally determines that an additional cloud file in the cloud storage system includes data that is likely to be accessed in conjunction with the data block, and proceeds to pre-fetch this additional cloud file from the cloud storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou, Andrew P. Davis
  • Patent number: 8719444
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for delegating commands for a network attached storage system is described. A command permission associated with a command to be executed on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) server is delegated to a user of a NAS client having a mounted network filesystem of the NAS server. The command is issued through the filesystem of the NAS client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Yen-pan Chou, Ravi Mulam
  • Patent number: 8706910
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is devised for tailoring downloaded content to the requesting device by receiving attribute parameters associated with a device that initiates a request for downloaded content. The attribute parameters are values that identify specific characteristics of the device. Thereafter, the content is modified according to the attributes parameters, and thereafter, the modified content is transmitted to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panzura, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Taylor, Randy Yen-pang Chou