Multimedia file systems using file managers located on clients for managing network attached storage devices

A file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network having an available network bandwidth, the file system comprising:

• at least one network storage device coupled through the network to at least one multi-media client, each of said at least one network storage devices having an available disk bandwidth and including at least one file;
• a cluster manager located on one of said at least one clients for managing a cluster, one of said cluster manager corresponding to each of said at least one network storage devices, said cluster manager including;
• an admission controller, operable in response to a request for a file operation upon a selected file, said request from one of said at least one clients, to control admission of said request;
• and
• a network status determiner, activable in response to a network bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available network bandwidth;
• at least one file manager located on one of said at least one clients for managing file maintenance procedures of said file located on said network storage device, said at least one file manager including;
• a disk status determiner, activable in response to a disk bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available disk bandwidth;
• a file access queue for ensuring data integrity;
• and
• a file access timer coupled to the file access queue;
• and
• said cluster manager further including a cluster controller for regulating the creation and deletion of said at least one file manager;
• wherein, said admission controller, in response to said request, sends said network bandwidth request and said disk bandwidth request to determine whether said available network bandwidth and said available disk bandwidth is sufficient to support the requested file operation.

A method of managing a file request in a file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network having an available quantity of network bandwidth, said network including at least one multi-media client and at least one network storage device having an available quantity of disk bandwidth with at least one file having a disk location, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining the disk location of a selected file;
• providing a cluster manager corresponding to each of said at least one network storage devices, said cluster manager having an admission controller for controlling access to said selected file;
• providing a file manager located on one of said at least one clients for managing file maintenance procedures of corresponding files located on said network storage device;
• sending a request for a file operation to said admission controller, requesting to perform a file operation upon said selected file;
• determining the available disk bandwidth;
• determining the available network bandwidth;
• evaluating the request based upon whether the available disk bandwidth and the available network bandwidth are sufficient to support the requested file operation;
• and
• granting the request.

A file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network with a plurality of multimedia clients, said network having an available network bandwidth, the file system comprising:

• at least one network storage device coupled to said network for storing and retrieving at least one file, said network storage device having an available disk bandwidth,
• a disk manager associated with said network storage device located on one of said clients, said disk manager for managing file maintenance procedures of said at least one file and including;
• an admission controller, operable in response to a file request from one of said clients for a file operation upon a selected file, to control admission of said file request;
• and
• a disk status determiner, activable in response to a disk bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available disk bandwidth;
• and
• a network manager assigned to one of said multimedia clients, for providing network services, said network manager including a network status determiner, activable in response to a network bandwidth request from said admission controller, to determine the available network bandwidth;
• wherein, said admission controller, in response to said file request, sends said network bandwidth request and said disk bandwidth request to determine whether said available network bandwidth and said available disk bandwidth are sufficient to support the requested file operation.

A file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network with a plurality of multimedia clients, said network having an available network bandwidth, the file system comprising:

• at least one network storage device coupled to said network for storing and retrieving at least one file, said network storage device having an available disk bandwidth,
• a system metadata table for providing a disk location of said at least one files;
• a disk manager associated with said network storage device located on one of said clients, said disk manager for managing file maintenance procedures of said at least one file and including;
• an admission controller, operable in response to a file request from one of said clients for a file operation upon a selected file, to control admission of said file request;
• a disk status determiner, activable in response to a disk bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available disk bandwidth;
• a write lock manager, operable to prevent more than one of said at least one client from simultaneously writing to said selected file;
• and
• a write circular buffer for storing said file request for said selected file such that said file request is serviced on a first stored first served basis;
• and
• a network manager assigned to one of said multimedia clients, for providing network services, said network manager including a network status determiner, activable in response to a network bandwidth request from said admission controller, to determine the available network bandwidth;
• wherein, said admission controller, in response to said file request, sends said network bandwidth request and said disk bandwidth request to determine whether said available network bandwidth and said available disk bandwidth are sufficient to support the requested file operation.

A method of managing bandwidth in a file system having at least one storage device and at least one client interconnected by a network, at least two managers for managing bandwidth associated with the network, the method comprising steps of:

• providing each of said at least two managers residing on one of said at least one storage device or said-at least one client;
• providing each of said at least two managers with an initial quantity of bandwidth;
• receiving a request for a file operation that requires a predetermined quantity of bandwidth;
• evaluating the request to determine if a manager has an available quantity of bandwidth sufficient to support the requested file operation;
• querying another of said at least two managers to determine if said manager has an available quantity of bandwidth;
• requesting said manager allocate said available quantity of bandwidth to said manager, and
• allocating said available quantity of bandwidth to said requesting manager.

A method of managing bandwidth in a file system having at least one storage device and at least one client interconnected by a network, at least two managers for managing bandwidth associated with the network, the method providing the steps of:

• providing each of said at least two managers residing on one of said at least one storage device or said at least one client;
• providing each of said at least two managers with an initial quantity of bandwidth;
• receiving a request for a file operation that requires a predetermined quantity of bandwidth;
• evaluating the request to determine if a manager has an available quantity of bandwidth sufficient to support the requested file operation;
• querying another of said at least two managers to determine if said manager has an available quantity of bandwidth;
• determining whether said another of said at least two managers is requesting available bandwidth;
• evaluating the quantity of available bandwidth that is being requested by each of the said at least two managers;
• requesting the manager allocate said available quantity of bandwidth to said manager;
• and
• allocating said available quantity from the manager that is requesting the lesser quantity of bandwidth to the manager that is requesting the greater quantity of bandwidth.

A file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network with a plurality of clients, said network having an available network bandwidth, the file system comprising:

• said plurality of clients including an admission controller, operable in response to a file request from a multimedia client for a file operation upon a selected file, to control admission of said file request;
• a network storage device having an available disk bandwidth coupled to the network for retrieving and storing file control information and at least one file, said network storage device comprising;
• a disk manager for managing file maintenance procedures of said network storage device, said disk manager including;
• a disk status determiner, activable in response to a disk bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available disk bandwidth;
• a network manager located on one of said network storage devices for providing network services, said network manager including a network status table for providing the available network bandwidth in response to a network bandwidth request from the admission controller;
• wherein, said admission controller, in response to said file request, sends said network bandwidth request and said disk bandwidth request to determine whether said available network bandwidth and said available disk bandwidth are sufficient to support the requested file operation.

A file system for a multi-media storage system operable to communicate information over a network with a plurality of clients, said network having an available network bandwidth, the file system comprising:

• a network storage device having an available disk bandwidth coupled to the network for retrieving and storing file control information and at least one file, said network storage device comprising;
• a disk manager for managing file maintenance procedures of said network storage device, said disk manager including;
• an admission controller, operable in response to a file request from a multimedia client for a file operation upon a selected file, to control admission of said file request;
• a disk status determiner, activable in response to a disk bandwidth request from the admission controller, to determine the available disk bandwidth;
• a network manager located on one of said network storage devices for providing network services, said network manager including a network status table for providing the available network bandwidth in response to a network bandwidth request from the admission controller;
• wherein, said admission controller, in response to said file request, sends said network bandwidth request and said disk bandwidth request to determine whether said available network bandwidth and said available disk bandwidth are sufficient to support the requested file operation.