Global file system-based system and method for rendering devices on a

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for rendering devices on a cluster globally visible, wherein the cluster includes a plurality of nodes on which the devices are attached. The system establishes for each of the devices in the cluster at least one globally unique identifier enabling global access to the device. The system includes a device registrar that creates the identifiers and a global file system. The identifiers include a globally unique logical name by which users of the cluster identify the device and a globally unique physical name by which the global file system identifies the device. The registrar creates a one-to-one mapping between the logical name and the physical name for each of the devices. The system also includes a device information (dev.sub.-- info) data structure maintained by the device registrar that represents physical associations of the devices within the cluster. Each association corresponds to the physical name of a device file maintained by the global file system. The device registrar determines for an attached device a globally unique, device type (dev.sub.-- t) value; creates dev.sub.-- info data structure entry and a corresponding physical name; generates a logical name based on the dev.sub.-- t value and the physical name; and associates the dev.sub.-- t value with the device file representing the attached device. Given this framework, a user of the cluster can access any of the devices by issuing the global file system an access request identifying the device to be accessed by its logical name.