Policy-based Storage Structure Distribution

A method for replicating data over a collection of computing nodes of a distributed storage system, the method comprising:

• calculating a primary node for storing a policy-based storage structure associated with a key value;
• calculating a secondary node for storing a copy of the policy-based storage structure associated with the key value;
• and
• replicating the policy-based storage structure stored on the primary node and storing the copy of the policy-based storage structure on the secondary node,
• wherein ownership of the policy-based storage structure is transferred from the primary node to the secondary node once the primary node leaves the collection.

A method of adding a node to a collection of computing nodes of a distributed storage system, the method comprising:

• joining a new node to the collection of computing nodes as a leech node;
• receiving, at the leech node, information from all other active nodes in the collection of computing nodes;
• synchronizing the leech node based on the received information;
• and
• thereafter, promoting the leech node to an active node in the collection of computing nodes;
• wherein the joining the new node as a leech node comprises the leech node obtaining a key space from all of the other active nodes in the collection of computing nodes;
• wherein prior to promoting the leech node to an active node, the leech node is not an active node, and
• wherein the receiving information comprises receiving copies of key values from all other active nodes, the key values being key values whose ownership will be transferred from the other active nodes to the leech node once the leech node once it becomes an active node.