File Handle Tree Quota Identifier Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file server systems face inefficiencies in managing quotas for directory trees, particularly in determining whether a file is within a quota tree and updating usage values without incurring significant overhead or modifying the file system structure.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a tree quota identifier into the file handle returned by the file server, allowing the server to index the tree quota database directly and manage storage resource quotas efficiently without altering the on-disk file system structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the file server performs a search for the file in the file system and determines whether the file is within a quota tree, then quota management accuracy is improved, but the processing overhead and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating the tree quota identifier directly into the file handle structure when the file is initially accessed. This allows the quota identifier to be pre-associated with the file, eliminating the need for subsequent search operations to determine quota tree membership. The file handle is enhanced to include this identifier, which is then used directly for quota checking during storage operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the tree quota identifier as a separate, identifiable component within the file handle structure. By isolating this identifier and making it directly accessible within the file handle, the system avoids the need to search through file system structures to find the associated quota information. This extracted identifier can be directly used to lookup quota details in the quota database.
2Measurement precision
If the file server updates the usage value in the quota database for each storage operation, then quota tracking accuracy is improved, but the database access overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching the quota identifier into the file handle structure during initial file access. This preliminary inclusion of the identifier eliminates the need for repeated database searches during subsequent storage operations. The file handle carries the identifier forward, allowing direct quota database access using this pre-retrieved identifier, thereby reducing access overhead while maintaining tracking accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If the file server uses a traditional file handle without quota identifier, then file access simplicity is maintained, but quota determination becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tree quota identifier with the existing file handle structure, creating a unified data structure that serves both file access and quota determination purposes. This combination eliminates the need for separate quota identification steps, as the identifier is already embedded in the file handle. The merged structure maintains file access simplicity while internally carrying the necessary quota information, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the file handle multi-functional by enabling it to serve both traditional file access purposes and quota determination purposes simultaneously. The enhanced file handle structure includes the tree quota identifier, allowing it to be used for both opening/accessing files and for identifying the associated quota tree. This universal structure eliminates the need for separate mechanisms for file access and quota identification.
Data Source
AI summary
To avoid the need for storing a tree quota identifier attribute for every file in a quota tree, a tree quota identifier is included in the file handle returned by the file server to a client in response to a directory lookup request. The file server discovers that the file is in a quota tree when searching along a path specified by the file pathname and finding a directory having a tree quota identifier. The file server responds to a client request for changing the storage resources used by the file by inspecting the file handle and upon finding the tree quota identifier in the file handle, using the tree quota identifier to index a tree quota database to find usage and limits for the tree quota. The file server checks the limits against any increase in the storage resources for the file, and updates the usage.