Cloud File System Layering for POSIX Backup and Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cloud-based storage systems, particularly cloud object storage, face limitations such as restricted data access semantics, high latency, and incompatibility with local file system applications, making it challenging to integrate legacy applications without significant expense or complexity.
Innovation Solution
Layering file system functionality on cloud object interfaces, enabling POSIX interfaces and semantics, and providing memory mapping to ensure consistency between memory map changes and writes, thereby allowing legacy applications to access data as files and organize it in name hierarchies, while utilizing cloud storage for elasticity and scale.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cloud object storage is used for data storage, then elasticity and scale are improved, but data access semantics are restricted and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway appliance as an intermediary component between legacy applications and cloud object storage. This gateway translates file system operations (read, write, delete) into object storage operations (put, get, delete), enabling legacy applications to access cloud storage without modification while maintaining file system semantics. The gateway resolves the contradiction by mediating between the object-based cloud storage interface and the file-based application interface.
2Quantity of substance
If cloud object storage is used, then storage capacity and scalability are improved, but compatibility with local file system applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the file system interface layer that sits on top of cloud object storage. This virtual file system presents familiar file-based semantics to legacy applications while the underlying storage uses object-based cloud storage. The gateway appliance implements this by translating file operations into object operations, allowing applications to continue using file system calls without direct modification to cloud storage protocols.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cloud object storage interfaces are used, then storage scalability is improved, but operational complexity and conversion costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway appliance provides self-service functionality by automatically translating file system operations into object storage operations without requiring application-level modifications. The system handles the complexity of interface conversion internally, managing object metadata, versioning, and synchronization automatically. This eliminates the need for manual conversion of legacy applications to object interfaces, reducing operational complexity while maintaining scalability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If cloud object storage is used, then storage elasticity is improved, but data security and encryption vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encryption functionality into a separate component within the gateway appliance, distinct from the cloud object storage interface. This allows encryption to be applied at the file system level before data is transmitted to the cloud, ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted with locally-controlled keys before leaving the premises. The segmentation enables independent management of security policies and encryption algorithms, maintaining data security while preserving cloud storage elasticity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques described herein relate to systems and methods of data storage, and more particularly to providing layering of file system functionality on an object interface. In certain embodiments, file system functionality may be layered on cloud object interfaces to provide cloud-based storage while allowing for functionality expected from a legacy applications. For instance, POSIX interfaces and semantics may be layered on cloud-based storage, while providing access to data in a manner consistent with file-based access with data organization in name hierarchies. Various embodiments also may provide for memory mapping of data so that memory map changes are reflected in persistent storage while ensuring consistency between memory map changes and writes. For example, by transforming a file system disk-based storage into cloud-based storage, the file system gains the elastic nature of cloud storage.