File Server Node Sub-Network Configuration for Seamless Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage systems face challenges in configuring distributed file servers for seamless failover without requiring homogeneity in hardware resources, particularly in maintaining IO module homogeneity between nodes, which is difficult due to dynamic changes in IO modules and limited virtualization of IO module resources.
Innovation Solution
Configuring IO modules to belong to the same logical network sub-network, ensuring that primary and failover nodes are on the same sub-network, allowing for seamless failover without imposing hardware homogeneity, and using virtual machines to manage processing nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IO module homogeneity is required between nodes for seamless failover, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of manufacture deteriorate due to difficulty in maintaining homogeneity with dynamic IO modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter from hardware-based IO module homogeneity to network-based sub-network homogeneity. By requiring nodes to be on the same sub-network rather than requiring identical IO module configurations, the system maintains failover capability while accommodating dynamic hardware changes and reducing configuration complexity.
2Reliability
If hardware homogeneity is imposed on processing nodes, then reliability is improved through consistent IO module behavior, but ease of manufacture and adaptability deteriorate due to limited virtualization of IO module resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts from requiring identical hardware parameters (IO module models, versions) to requiring matching network parameters (sub-network membership). This allows nodes with different hardware configurations to participate in failover as long as they share the same sub-network, greatly improving adaptability while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If IO module resources are virtualized to improve adaptability, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to difficulty in tracking and managing virtualized IO module states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical requirement for failover from the specific IO module hardware level and moves it to the network sub-network level. This abstraction removes the need to track and manage detailed IO module states, virtualization configurations, or hardware-specific parameters, simplifying operation while maintaining the ability to ensure consistent behavior across nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
For processing nodes of a cluster of a file server, the IO modules associated with the nodes may be required to be part of a same sub-network. A cluster may be configured to ensure that, for each cluster processing node, at least one other cluster processing node is associated with an IO module on a same sub-network as the IO module associated with the cluster processing node. The user may configure a file server to ensure that a primary node and one or more failover nodes of the file server are on a same sub-network. When configuring IO modules, physical ports having similar or same characteristics may be configured to be on a same sub-network. By doing so, and restricting nodes of a file server to being on a same sub-network, a relatively seamless failover between nodes of a file server may be achieved.