US 10,944,823 B2Granted

Highly redundant and scalable storage area network architecture

AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.

InventorsJohn Hawkins, Charles Baiamonte, David Barr, David Daniel, John Kile, Ronald Stephens, Robert Stoker

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Abstract

A storage area network architecture and a method for storing data in the storage area network architecture are disclosed. For example, the storage area network architecture comprises a first layer of servers, the first layer of servers comprising a plurality of file receiving servers, a second layer of servers, the second layer of servers comprising a plurality of file sharing servers in communication with the first layer of servers and a third layer of servers, the third layer of servers comprising a plurality of storage servers in communication with the second layer of servers.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for storing data on a storage area network architecture, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor of a file sharing server of a first subset of file sharing servers of a second layer of servers, a request to store the data from a file receiving server of a first subset of file receiving servers of a first layer of servers, wherein the first subset of file sharing servers and the first subset of file receiving servers are associated with a drop side for processing the request to store the data, wherein the second layer of servers comprises the first subset of file sharing servers and a second subset of file sharing servers that is distinct from the first subset of file sharing servers and associated with a pick-up side for processing a request to pick-up data, wherein the first layer of servers comprises the first subset of file receiving servers and a second subset of file receiving servers that is distinct from the first subset of file receiving servers and associated with the pick-up side, wherein the drop side comprises the first subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the first subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and a first subset of storage servers of a third layer of servers;
indexing, by the at least one processor, the data to a file directory for storage;
and
transmitting, by the at least one processor, the data to a storage server of the first subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers, wherein the third layer of servers comprises the first subset of storage servers and a second subset of storage servers that is distinct from the first subset of storage servers and associated with the pick-up side, wherein the pick-up side comprises the second subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the second subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and the second subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers.

1 more element

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a file sharing server of a first subset of file sharing servers of a second layer of servers, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for storing data on a storage area network architecture, wherein the second layer of servers comprises the first subset of file sharing servers and a second subset of file sharing servers that is distinct from the first subset of file sharing servers, wherein the first subset of file sharing servers is associated with a drop side for processing a request to store the data, wherein the second set of file sharing servers is associated with a pick-up side for processing a request to pick-up data, the operations comprising:

receiving the request to store the data from a file receiving server of a first subset of file receiving servers of a first layer of servers, wherein the first subset of file receiving servers is associated with the drop side, wherein the drop side comprises the first subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the first subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and a first subset of storage servers of a third layer of servers;
indexing the data to a file directory for storage;
and
transmitting the data to a storage server of the first subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers, wherein the first layer of servers comprises the first subset of file receiving servers and a second subset of file receiving servers that is distinct from the first subset of file receiving servers and associated with the pick-up side, wherein the third layer of servers comprises the first subset of storage servers and a second subset of storage servers that is distinct from the first subset of storage servers and associated with the pick-up side, wherein the pick-up side comprises the second subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the second subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and the second subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers.

1 more element

A device for storing data on a storage area network architecture, the device comprising:

at least one processor of a file sharing server of a first subset of file sharing servers of a second layer of servers, wherein the second layer of servers comprises the first subset of file sharing servers and a second subset of file sharing servers that is distinct from the first subset of file sharing servers, wherein the first subset of file sharing servers is associated with a drop side for processing a request to store data, wherein the second set of file sharing servers is associated with a pick-up side for processing a request to pick-up data;
and
a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
receiving the request to store the data from a file receiving server of a first subset of file receiving servers of a first layer of servers, wherein the first subset of file receiving servers is associated with the drop side, wherein the drop side comprises the first subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the first subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and a first subset of storage servers of a third layer of servers;
indexing the data to a file directory for storage;
and
transmitting the data to a storage server of the first subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers, wherein the first layer of servers comprises the first subset of file receiving servers and a second subset of file receiving servers that is distinct from the first subset of file receiving servers and is associated with the pick-up side, wherein the third layer of servers comprises the first subset of storage servers and a second subset of storage servers that is distinct from the first subset of storage servers and associated with the pick-up side, wherein the pick-up side comprises the second subset of file receiving servers of the first layer of servers, the second subset of file sharing servers of the second layer of servers, and the second subset of storage servers of the third layer of servers.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/195,443Filed 28 Jun 2016
Published: US 2017/0374149 A128 Dec 2017
Granted: 9 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H04L 67/1097
In which an application is distributed across nodes in the network: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for…
H04L 67/02
Protocols: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
H04L 67/06
Protocols: specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
H04L 67/1001
In which an application is distributed across nodes in the network: for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers