File-Object Correlation Maintenance in Hybrid Storage Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for archiving files from file storage to separate storage fail to maintain the correspondence relationship between file identifiers when path or inode numbers change, leading to disconnection between backup source and destination identifiers.
Innovation Solution
A server apparatus manages correspondence relationships between different identifiers for files across storage systems, updating these relationships when changes occur, ensuring that file identifiers in the archive source and destination remain correlated even if path or inode numbers change.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If file backup is performed using path or inode number as identifier, then backup correspondence can be maintained initially, but when path or inode number changes, the correspondence relationship between backup source and destination identifiers is disconnected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server apparatus as an intermediary that maintains a correspondence table mapping file identifiers (path, inode number) to archive destination identifiers (URL, object ID). This intermediary component resolves the contradiction by decoupling the direct relationship between source and destination identifiers, allowing the system to adapt to identifier changes while maintaining reliable correspondence through the mediator's recorded mappings.
2Measurement precision
If inode number is used to identify files in backup source, then file identification is precise, but when file overwriting occurs with deletion and recreation, the inode number changes and correspondence is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording of the correspondence between inode numbers and archive destination identifiers at the time of backup. When file overwriting occurs and the inode number changes, the pre-recorded correspondence in the server's table allows the system to maintain the link to the original archive destination, thus preserving identifier stability over time while retaining precise file identification capability.
3Ease of operation
If path is used to identify files in backup source, then file location tracking is simple, but when path is changed after backup, the snapshot ID correspondence is disconnected
Solution Approach 1:
The server apparatus acts as a mediator that records the correspondence between path identifiers and archive destination identifiers. When the path changes, the intermediary's recorded mapping maintains the reliable correspondence relationship, while still allowing simple path-based identification to function for current file locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A file on file storage is archived as an object on object storage. In this case, a correspondence between UUID which is an identifier of the object and a path or an inode number which is an identifier of the file is recorded. This is referred to as correlation between the file and the object. However, because of changing of the path due to the renaming of the file, or changing of the inode number due to overwriting of the file, the correlation is likely to be lost. The invention provides a technique that restores the lost correlation and causes the correlation between the file and the object to be maintained.