NAS Proxy Metadata Locking for Concurrent Access Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inconsistency between target metadata buffered in proxy nodes and the actual metadata in the NAS cluster due to concurrent access and conflicts among multiple proxy nodes in a NAS storage system, leading to metadata errors.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed lock control mechanism with local memory locks to manage exclusive access to metadata, ensuring consistency by allocating a distributed lock and configuring a local memory lock for each change request, thereby controlling the state of the distributed lock within a single proxy node.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple proxy nodes access the NAS cluster concurrently to handle user requests, then the system throughput and responsiveness are improved, but metadata consistency deteriorates due to conflicts among proxy nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a distributed lock control node as an intermediary between proxy nodes and the NAS cluster. This mediator manages lock allocation and coordination, allowing multiple proxy nodes to access the NAS cluster concurrently while maintaining metadata consistency through centralized lock control. The lock control node receives lock requests from proxy nodes, allocates distributed locks, and coordinates access to prevent conflicts.
2Reliability
If a distributed lock mechanism is implemented to ensure metadata consistency, then data reliability is improved, but system complexity increases due to lock management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lock management function into a separate distributed lock control node, distinct from the NAS cluster and proxy nodes. This segmentation isolates the complexity of distributed lock management to a dedicated component, allowing the NAS cluster and proxy nodes to interact through simplified lock request and response interfaces. The lock control node handles the complex logic of lock allocation, validation, and coordination independently.
3Speed
If proxy nodes buffer metadata locally to improve access speed, then response time is reduced, but metadata freshness deteriorates due to potential inconsistency with the NAS cluster
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring proxy nodes to acquire distributed locks before accessing or modifying metadata in the NAS cluster. This pre-acquisition of exclusive access rights ensures that when proxy nodes read metadata locally, they have guaranteed consistency with the NAS cluster state at that moment. The lock mechanism prevents other proxy nodes from modifying the same metadata simultaneously, ensuring freshness without requiring continuous synchronization.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a distributed data storage control method and apparatus, and an electronic device. The method includes: receiving, by a proxy node, a first change request for a target file in a NAS cluster, wherein the first change request is used to directly or indirectly trigger to change target metadata of the target file; allocating, by a distributed lock control node in the NAS cluster in response to the first change request, a corresponding distributed lock, and returning first response message to the proxy node; receiving, by the proxy node, the first response message, and configuring a corresponding local memory lock for the distributed lock corresponding to the first change request; and controlling a change of the target metadata of the target file in the NAS cluster based on the first change request with the distributed lock and the local memory lock.