POSIX File System Layering on Cloud Object Storage

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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 challenging to integrate legacy applications seamlessly with cloud storage without significant adaptation and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

Layering file system functionality on cloud object interfaces, specifically by implementing POSIX interfaces and semantics, allows for consistent file-based access and data organization in name hierarchies, while enabling memory mapping to ensure data consistency and utilizing ZFS file system services like compression, encryption, deduplication, snapshots, and clones, thereby bridging the gap between traditional file systems and cloud object stores.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If cloud object storage is used, then scalability and elasticity are improved, but latency increases and file system compatibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovescalabilityVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments cloud storage access into two layers: a file system layer that handles local file operations with low latency, and a cloud object storage layer that provides scalable backend storage. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between scalability and latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a file system as an intermediary layer between legacy applications and cloud object storage. This intermediary translates file system operations into object storage operations, enabling legacy applications to access cloud storage without direct object interface calls, thereby reducing latency while maintaining scalability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If cloud object storage is used, then scalability is improved, but compatibility with legacy applications deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovescalabilityVSAvoidcompatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the cloud storage system universal by implementing both object storage functionality and file system semantics. This allows the system to serve dual purposes: providing scalable cloud storage while simultaneously supporting legacy applications that require file system compatibility, eliminating the need for application conversion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If encryption keys are stored in cloud object storage, then simplicity is improved, but security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesimplicityVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts encryption keys from the cloud object storage system and stores them separately in secure key management infrastructure. This separation ensures that even if cloud storage is compromised, the encryption keys remain protected, maintaining security while keeping the overall system manageable through dedicated key management processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10642878B2File system hierarchies and functionality with cloud object storage

Publication Date: 2020.05.05 ORACLE INT CORP

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. For example, by transforming a ZFS file system disk-based storage into ZFS cloud-based storage, the ZFS file system gains the elastic nature of cloud storage.