Emc Corporation

Isilon Systems, Inc.

Paul A Mikesell

Darren P Schack

Sujal M Patel

Aaron Passey

Peter John Godman

Robert J Anderson

Nathan Edward Dire

Rob Anderson

Hassan F Khan

Hasssan F Khan

Aaron J Passey

A distributed file system enables the intelligent storing and retrieval of files among a plurality of storage units. The distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy. The distributed file system includes a switch to receive a read request for a file and to send the read request to one of the storage units. Each of the plurality of storage units is operable to monitor access to the file, such that a block cache module is operable to perform a scalable number of packet read aheads, wherein the scalable number is based on at least a current read rate and a current latency of a link to access the at least one file.

Distributed file system for intelligently managing the storing and retrieval of data

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.

Systems and methods for distributed system scanning

The intelligent distributed file system enables the storing of file data among a plurality of smart storage units which are accessed as a single file system. The intelligent distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy within a single file system, to facilitate the change of redundancy parameters, to provide high-level protection for metadata, to replicate and move data in real-time, and so forth.

Systems and methods for providing a distributed file system utilizing metadata to track information about data stored throughout the system

The intelligent distributed file system enables the storing of file data among a plurality of smart storage units which are accessed as a single file system. The intelligent distributed file system utilizes a metadata data structure to track and manage detailed information about each file, including, for example, the device and block locations of the file's data blocks, to permit different levels of replication and/or redundancy within a single file system, to facilitate the change of redundancy parameters, to provide high-level protection for metadata, to replicate and move data in real-time, and to permit the creation of virtual hot spares among the smart storage units without the need to idle any single smart storage unit in the intelligent distributed file system.

Systems and methods for a distributed file system with data recovery

Systems and methods for restriping files distributed among a set of smart storage units, wherein data blocks for a particular stripe do not typically need to be located at any particular location on the storage units, wherein data can be typically restriped among the smart storage units with minimal data movement, and wherein data is typically protected and recoverable even if a system failure occurs during the restriping process.

Systems and methods for restriping files in a distributed file system

System and methods for providing a distributed file system utilizing metadata to track information about data stored throughout the system

Systems and methods for providing a distributed file system incorporating a virtual hot spare

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Paul A Mikesell