Consistent snapshots and clones in an asymmetric virtual distributed file system

Abstract

Processing in an asymmetrically distributed file system may include storing first data representative of the content of the files in a file system volume among a plurality of storage nodes. Second data representative of attributes of the files in the file system volume may be stored in only one of the storage nodes. Time-limited leases allow clients direct access to the plurality of storage node in order to access portions of the file system volume. The time-limited leases may be provided to client lessors. Snapshots of the file system volume may be generated after sending a revocation to the client lessors to revoke time-limited leases provided to the client lessors and having received the acknowledgements of the revocations or after the leases have expired for non-responding lessors, to ensure that changes are not made to the file system volume during snapshot processing.