US 7,069,380 B2Granted

File access method in storage-device system, and programs for the file access

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsJunji Ogawa, Naoto Matsunami, Masaaki Iwasaki, Koji Sonoda, Kenichi Tsukiji

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Abstract

In order to manage the various types of attribute information within the storage-device system, the storage-device system includes the following databases within a file-access controlling memory: a database for managing index information for managing contents of the files, and an index retrieval program, a database for managing the attribute information on the files, and a database for managing storage positions of blocks configuring a file. When the storage-device system receives an access request to a file, the utilization of these databases allows the storage-device system to make the access to the access-target file.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method by which a storage system accesses a file in response to an access request, said storage system including a plurality of disks and a disk controller, said disk controller being coupled to said plurality of disks and controlling said plurality of disks, said access request being received from one of computers coupled to said storage system, said file being stored in said storage system, said method comprising the steps of:

an index creation step for selecting, by said disk controller, a portion of contents of said file to be used as an index, this portion of the contents of said file being selected so as to contain a smaller amount of data than file attributes of said file and being searchable independently of said file attributes;
an access-request reception step for receiving, by said disk controller, said access request from one of said computers, said access request including file-related information used for identifying a file;
an index retrieval step for retrieving, by said disk controller, said index with said file-related information used as a key;
a file access step for performing, by said disk controller, control so that said data in an identified file is accessed, if said file has been identified at said index retrieval step;
and
a file attributes retrieval step for retrieving, by said disk controller, said file attributes with said file-related information used as a key, if said file cannot be identified at said index retrieval step.

3 more elements

A computer program product for executing a processing for accessing a file in a storage system, said file being stored in said storage system, said storage system including a disk controller and a plurality of disks coupled to said disk controller,

said computer program product comprising:
an index creation code that selects a portion of contents of said file to be used as an index, this portion of the contents of said file being selected so as to contain a smaller amount of data than file attributes of said file and being searchable independently of said file attributes;
an access-request reception code that receives an access request from one of computers coupled to said disk controller, said access request including file-related information used for identifying said file;
an index retrieval code that retrieves said index with said file-related information used as a key;
a file access code that, if said file has been identified by said index retrieval code, performs control so that said data in said identified file is accessed;
a file attributes code that, if said file cannot be identified at said index retrieval code, retrieves said file attributes with said file-related information used as a key;
and
a computer-readable storage medium for storing said codes.

5 more elements

A storage system coupled to one or more computers, comprising:

a first interface control device for receiving file-related information on a file from said one or more computers, said information being used for identifying said file;
a second interface control device coupled to said first interface control device;
and
one or more disks coupled to said second interface control device,
wherein said first interface control device:
selects a portion of contents of said file to be used as an index, this portion of the contents of said file being selected so as to contain a smaller amount of data than file attributes of said file and being searchable independently of said file attributes, and, if said first interface control device receives an access request from said one or more computers, said access request including said file-related information on said file,
retrieves said index information with said file-related information on said file used as a key,
controls said second interface control device so as to access the data in said file selected by said retrieval, and
retrieves said file attributes with said file-related information used as a key, if said file cannot be identified at said index retrieval step.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/653,895Filed 4 Sep 2003
Priority: JP 2003-10595510 Apr 2003
Published: US 2004/0215616 A128 Oct 2004
Granted: 27 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G06F 3/0643
Organizing or formatting or addressing of data: management of files
G06F 3/0604
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
G06F 3/0605
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management: by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
G06F 3/0689
Plurality of storage devices: disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD