Abstract: In a distributed storage of data objects in a cluster system, a data object is distributed across a group of node apparatuses in units of data blocks. For each child object, the metadata structure of the respective child object is stored to one of the node apparatuses of the group of node apparatuses for managing locations of data blocks of the data object and includes a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes; and the metadata structure of the parent object is distributed across the plural node apparatuses of the group of node apparatuses for managing locations of child objects of the data object and includes, on each node apparatus of the group of node apparatuses, a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes.

Abstract: A storage control system to provide file-level storage and block-level storage services. The storage control system has a computer system including a second I/O unit configured to receive block-level storage related requests, a processor unit, a first memory unit, and a storage unit; and a programmable logic device including a first I/O unit configured to receive file-level storage related requests, an interface unit configured to communicate with the computer system, one or more programmable hardware-implemented processing units and for processing of file-level storage related requests, and a second memory unit.

Abstract: A data de-duplication in a distributed storage of data objects in a cluster system, in which plural data objects are distributed across a group of node apparatuses and stored in units of data blocks. Each metadata structure including a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, and optionally including one or more indirect metadata nodes; and a metadata object is stored for managing de-duplicated data blocks based on a metadata structure of the metadata object wherein at least one direct metadata node of the metadata structure of the metadata object includes a block reference pointing to a de-duplicated data block being associated with two or more data objects. Preferably, each of the metadata structures of the two or more data objects being associated with the de-duplicated data block includes a respective direct metadata node including an object reference to the metadata structure of the metadata object.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures, including obtaining the root node and/or nodes of the at least one tree level of the metadata structure maintained in the cache memory from the cache memory an

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to storing a data object to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of data blocks; storing a metadata structure for the data object including one or more direct metadata nodes, and optionally including a root metadata node and optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes, each direct metadata node including block pointers referencing respective data blocks of the respective data object; dividing the data object into plural compression units; compressing each compression unit of the plural compression units to a respective compressed unit associated with the respective compression unit; modifying, for each compression unit, block pointers of the direct metadata node referencing respective data blocks of the respective compression unit on the basis of the associated compressed unit; and managing I/O access to the data object based on the metadata structure of the data object.

Abstract: A data de-duplication in a distributed storage of data objects in a cluster system, in which plural data objects are distributed across a group of node apparatuses and stored in units of data blocks. Each metadata structure including a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, and optionally including one or more indirect metadata nodes; and a metadata object is stored for managing de-duplicated data blocks based on a metadata structure of the metadata object wherein at least one direct metadata node of the metadata structure of the metadata object includes a block reference pointing to a de-duplicated data block being associated with two or more data objects. Preferably, each of the metadata structures of the two or more data objects being associated with the de-duplicated data block includes a respective direct metadata node including an object reference to the metadata structure of the metadata object.

Abstract: In a distributed storage of data objects in a cluster system, a data object is distributed across a group of node apparatuses in units of data blocks. For each child object, the metadata structure of the respective child object is stored to one of the node apparatuses of the group of node apparatuses for managing locations of data blocks of the data object and includes a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes; and the metadata structure of the parent object is distributed across the plural node apparatuses of the group of node apparatuses for managing locations of child objects of the data object and includes, on each node apparatus of the group of node apparatuses, a root metadata node and one or more direct metadata nodes, optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes.

Abstract: The data storage system includes one or more storage apparatuses and a file system server connected to the one or more storage apparatuses and to one or more host computers. Write operations are controlled by providing a free space object which stores a plurality of indicators, each indicator being associated with one of a plurality of storage units for storing data units in the one or more storage apparatuses and each indicator indicating whether the associated storage unit is free or used, executing a read-ahead examination which comprises examining a set of indicators of the free space object for identifying one or more used storage units associated with indicators of the set, in particular for observing a fragmentation status of the storage units associated with the indicators of the set, and executing an allocation examination which comprises examining one or more indicators.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to storing a data object to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of data blocks; storing a metadata structure for the data object including one or more direct metadata nodes, and optionally including a root metadata node and optionally further including one or more indirect metadata nodes, each direct metadata node including block pointers referencing respective data blocks of the respective data object; dividing the data object into plural compression units; compressing each compression unit of the plural compression units to a respective compressed unit associated with the respective compression unit; modifying, for each compression unit, block pointers of the direct metadata node referencing respective data blocks of the respective compression unit on the basis of the associated compressed unit; and managing I/O access to the data object based on the metadata structure of the data object.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures, including obtaining the root node and/or nodes of the at least one tree level of the metadata structure maintained in the cache memory from the cache memory an

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures.

Abstract: A storage control system to provide file-level storage and block-level storage services. The storage control system has a computer system including a second 1/0 unit configured to receive block-level storage related requests, a processor unit, a first memory unit, and a storage unit; and a programmable logic device including a first 1/0 unit configured to receive file-level storage related requests, an interface unit configured to communicate with the computer system, one or more programmable hardware-implemented processing units and for processing of file-level storage related requests, and a second memory unit.

Abstract: Aspects of managing defragmentation in a data storage system comprising one or more storage apparatuses and a file system server connected to the one or more storage apparatuses and to one or more host computers are described, comprising: providing free space allocation information; allocating, in response to receiving an update request to update data stored in one or more first storage units of a plurality of storage units, one or more second storage units of the plurality of storage units indicated to be free based on the provided free space allocation information for writing update data of the update request, controlling writing update data to the allocated one or more second storage units, and controlling swapping logical addresses associated with the one or more second storage units with respective logical addresses associated with the one or more first storage units.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a data storage system, and processes and computer programs for such data storage system, for example including processing of: managing one or more metadata tree structures for storing data to one or more storage devices of the data storage system in units of blocks, each metadata tree structure including a root node pointing directly and/or indirectly to blocks, and a leaf tree level having one or more direct nodes pointing to blocks, and optionally including one or more intermediate tree levels having one or more indirect nodes pointing to indirect nodes and/or direct nodes of the respective metadata tree structure; maintaining the root node and/or nodes of at least one tree level of each of at least one metadata structure in a cache memory; and managing I/O access to data based on the one or more metadata structures.

Abstract: The data storage system includes one or more storage apparatuses and a file system server connected to the one or more storage apparatuses and to one or more host computers. Write operations are controlled by providing a free space object which stores a plurality of indicators, each indicator being associated with one of a plurality of storage units for storing data units in the one or more storage apparatuses and each indicator indicating whether the associated storage unit is free or used, executing a read-ahead examination which comprises examining a set of indicators of the free space object for identifying one or more used storage units associated with indicators of the set, in particular for observing a fragmentation status of the storage units associated with the indicators of the set, and executing an allocation examination which comprises examining one or more indicators.