Reliability of diskless network-bootable computers using non-volatile memory cache

A method of reliably operating a computer having a non-volatile memory (NVM) cache connected to a network having a remote storage volume, the method comprising:

• receiving a boot request;
• determining whether the network is available;
• booting the computer using static configuration data and dynamic configuration data stored in the remote storage volume if the network is available;
• booting the computer using static configuration data and dynamic configuration data stored in the NVM cache if the network is unavailable;
• receiving data from an operating system operating on the computer;
• determining, based upon a user's history of prior use, whether the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• writing the data to the NVM cache if it is determined that the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• and
• sending the data to the remote storage volume if it is determined that the data is not to be stored in the NVM cache.

A network stack stored on a computer having a non-volatile memory cache, the network stack comprising:

• a predictive cache control module for determining, based on a user's history of prior use, whether data is to be stored in the non-volatile memory cache, for storing the data in the non-volatile memory cache when the data is to be stored in the non-volatile memory cache, and for sending the data to a remote storage volume when the data is not to be stored in the non-volatile memory cache;
• a file system filter driver in communication with the predictive cache control module, the file system filter driver handling errors;
• a file system in communication with the file system filter driver for sending and retrieving files from a hard disk in the remote storage volume;
• a write cache filter driver in communication with the file system and the non-volatile memory cache;
• a network protocol layer in communication with the write cache filter driver;
• and
• a network adapter driver in communication with the network protocol driver and the remote storage volume.

A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for reliably operating a computer operating system in a computer having a non-volatile memory (NVM) cache connected to a network having a remote storage volume, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for performing:

• receiving data from one of an application and the computer operating system;
• determining, based on a user's history of prior use, whether the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• writing the data to the NVM cache if it is determined that the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• sending the data to the remote storage volume if it is determined that the data is not to be stored in the NVM cache;
• caching the data to be stored in the remote storage volume in the NVM cache in response to one of a network outage and a non-receipt of a transaction complete message;
• and
• sending the data cached in the NVM cache to be stored in the remote storage volume to the remote storage volume when the network is running.

A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for reliably operating a computer having a non-volatile memory (NVM) cache connected to a network having a remote storage volume, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for performing:

• receiving a boot request;
• determining whether the network is available;
• booting the computer using static configuration data and dynamic configuration data stored in the remote storage volume if the network is available;
• booting the computer using static configuration data and dynamic configuration data stored in the NVM cache if the network is unavailable
• receiving data from an operating system operating on the computer;
• determining, based on user's history of prior use, whether the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• writing the data to the NVM cache if it is determined that the data is to be stored in the NVM cache;
• and
• sending the data to the remote storage volume if it is determined that the data is not to be stored in the NVM cache.