Overlay File System Metadata Moves for Multitenancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file sharing methods in multitenancy environments are inefficient, requiring data duplication and consuming processor cycles and storage resources, as they involve copying files instead of updating metadata.
Innovation Solution
An overlay file system that allows file sharing by modifying metadata, moving files from user layers to tenant layers without copying, thereby improving application server performance and conserving storage resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If files are copied from user layers to share among tenants, then file sharing is achieved, but storage resources and processor cycles are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a virtual copying mechanism where file references are copied between overlay layers rather than physical file duplication. When a file is shared from a user layer to a tenant layer, only the metadata reference is copied, not the actual file data. This allows multiple tenants to access the same file through different overlay paths without consuming additional storage resources, resolving the contradiction between file sharing capability and storage resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay file system acts as an intermediary layer between the physical file system and multiple tenants. It virtualizes file access by creating overlay layers that can reference the same underlying files multiple times. This intermediary mechanism enables file sharing without physical duplication, as the overlay layer manages references to the same file data for multiple tenants, eliminating the need to copy actual file content.
2Adaptability or versatility
If files are copied to enable multitenancy, then multiple tenants can access files, but processor cycles are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reference copying strategy where only file metadata and path information are copied when sharing files across tenant overlays, not the actual file content. This virtual copying approach enables multitenancy support by allowing each tenant to have their own overlay view of shared files while consuming minimal processor cycles, as the operation involves simple metadata updates rather than heavy data copying or processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay file system merges multiple tenant views into a unified virtual file system that shares underlying physical files. Instead of maintaining separate copies of files for each tenant, the system combines access paths through overlay layers, allowing multiple tenants to access the same file through different overlay paths. This merging approach reduces processor cycle consumption by eliminating redundant file operations and enabling shared access to the same file instances.
3Ease of operation
If data is duplicated across layers for file sharing, then file access is simplified, but storage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested overlay structure where user layers and tenant layers are nested within the overlay file system hierarchy. Files can be referenced from multiple nested layers without physical duplication - each layer contains references to files in underlying layers. This nesting approach simplifies file access as users can access files through their user layer or shared tenant layers, while storage efficiency is maintained because the same physical file is shared across multiple nested overlay paths without duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay layer serves as an intermediary that manages file references between user layers and the underlying physical file system. Instead of duplicating files across layers, the intermediary overlay layer creates virtual references that allow files to be accessed from multiple logical layers while physically existing only once. This resolves the contradiction by enabling simplified multi-path file access while maintaining storage efficiency through reference-based sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems are directed to multitenancy using an overlay file system. Each tenant has one or more users and a tenant layer in the overlay file system. Each user has a user layer in the overlay file system. The overlay file system provides a logical file system to each user based on the user layer, the tenant layer, and a strategy comprising a set of application layers. A first user shares a file with other users of the same tenant by moving the file from the first user's user layer to the tenant layer. After the file is moved, all users of the tenant have access to the file. The moving of the file is achieved by modifying metadata for the file.