Hybrid Cloud Mirroring With POSIX Layering for Legacy File Access
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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 difficult to integrate legacy applications without significant expense or complexity.
Innovation Solution
Layering file system functionality on cloud object interfaces, specifically using POSIX interfaces and semantics, to provide cloud-based storage that aligns with legacy applications, while enabling memory mapping and data organization in name hierarchies, thereby transforming ZFS file system disk-based storage into cloud-based storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cloud object storage is used, then storage elasticity and scale are improved, but latency increases and data access semantics are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data access operations into two types: whole object operations for cloud storage and incremental block operations for file system functionality. This allows the system to maintain cloud storage elasticity while providing low-latency access for file operations by processing only changed blocks rather than entire objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (cloud file system interface) between legacy applications and cloud object storage. This intermediary translates file system operations into cloud-compatible operations, enabling legacy applications to access cloud storage with file system semantics without requiring application conversion.
2Quantity of substance
If cloud object storage is used, then storage capacity is improved, but compatibility with legacy file system applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud file system interface as an intermediary layer that translates legacy file system operations into cloud object storage operations. This allows legacy applications to maintain their original file system interfaces while accessing cloud storage, eliminating the need for expensive application conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the cloud storage system multi-functional by supporting both object-based access (for cloud elasticity) and file-based access (for legacy application compatibility). The same underlying cloud storage infrastructure serves both access models through the intermediary layer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cloud object storage interfaces are used, then storage scale is improved, but interface complexity for legacy applications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud file system interface as an intermediary that abstracts cloud object storage complexity from legacy applications. The intermediary handles object-to-file translations, block operations, and incremental updates, presenting a simple file system interface to applications while managing cloud complexity behind the scenes.
4Reliability
If data is encrypted in cloud object storage, then security is improved, but data accessibility and performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments encryption operations to work at the block level rather than whole object level. This allows encrypted data to be accessed incrementally with only the necessary blocks decrypted, reducing the performance impact of encryption while maintaining security. The system can decrypt and process only the specific blocks needed for current operations.
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.