Logical volume-level migration in a partition-based distributed file system

An apparatus for migrating a logical volume of objects from a source partition server to a target partition server in a distributed file system having multiple partitions servers, wherein each partition server owns one or more volumes, each volume including a subset of logically related objects of the file system, comprising:

• means, responsive to a migration request that requests migration of a selected logical volume from a source partition server to the target partition server, for updating an ownership map to indicate the selected logical volume is owned by the target partition server;
• means for storing at the source partition server forwarding information that references the target partition server;
• and
• means for transmitting the forwarding information to the client in response to an access request received at the source partition server from a client for an object in the selected logical volume.

A computer-readable medium configured with computer program code for migrating a logical volume of objects from a source partition server to a target partition server in a distributed file system having multiple partitions servers, wherein each partition server owns one or more volumes, each volume including a subset of logically related objects of the file system, the computer program code configured to cause a computer to perform the steps comprising:

• updating, in response to a migration request that requests migration of a selected logical volume from a source partition server to the target partition server, an ownership map to indicate the selected logical volume is owned by the target partition server;
• storing at the source partition server forwarding information that references the target partition server;
• and
• transmitting the forwarding information to the client in response to an access request received at the source partition server from a client for an object in the selected logical volume.

A distributed file management system, comprising:

• a plurality of partition servers configured for ownership of a set of logical volumes of logically related file system objects, each partition server configured to control access to the set of logical volumes owned by the partition server;
• an ownership map coupled to the plurality of partition servers, the ownership map indicating which partition servers own which logical volumes;
• and
• wherein each partition server is adapted to migrate a selected logical volume from a source partition server to a target partition server in response to a migration request.