Sparse Client Pseudofs via Lookup Hinting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network filesystems face challenges in efficiently managing client access to filesystem resources while maintaining security and reducing processing overhead, particularly in systems with a large number of clients and resources, where traditional approaches require significant time and resources for access control and often result in errors and inefficient resource usage.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a master pseudo filesystem that dynamically generates client-specific pseudo filesystems on-demand, using lookup hinting to create sparse client-specific pseudo filesystems only when needed, and automatically updating them to reflect changes, thereby eliminating the need for pre-configuration and reducing resource consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a generic pseudofs is employed with client-based access control, then security is improved, but processing time and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidaccess control processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single generic pseudofs into multiple client-specific pseudofs, each containing only the subset of resources accessible to a particular client. This segmentation eliminates the need to process access control for all resources, reducing processing time while maintaining security through client-specific resource visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each client-specific pseudofs is customized with local quality characteristics specific to that client's access rights and resource needs. Instead of applying uniform access control checks across all resources for all clients, the system creates tailored pseudofs instances that locally optimize both security and performance for each client.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If a fixed tree pseudofs is used, then system stability is improved, but adaptability to changes deteriorates requiring system restarts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilesystem structure stabilityVSAvoidresource visibility adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic generation of client-specific pseudofs that can be created, modified, and destroyed on-demand without requiring system restarts. The filesystem structure transitions from a static fixed tree to a dynamic system where pseudofs instances are generated according to client needs and resource availability, enabling real-time adaptability while maintaining structural stability through the master pseudofs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If client-specific pseudofs are created for all clients, then access control efficiency is improved, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess control efficiencyVSAvoidmemory resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates client-specific pseudofs as temporary, on-demand objects that exist only for the duration of client sessions or specific operations. These pseudofs are generated sparsely and discarded when no longer needed, reducing overall memory consumption while maintaining access control efficiency during active use. The system accepts creating multiple instances but manages their lifecycle to minimize resource footprint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes parameters such as the number of active client-specific pseudofs, their size, and their lifetime based on system conditions, client activity patterns, and resource availability. This allows the system to optimize the balance between access control efficiency and resource consumption by adjusting pseudofs creation and retention parameters in response to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Quantity of substance

If a sparse client-specific pseudofs is created using lookup hinting, then resource usage is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory resourcesVSAvoidpseudofs management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces lookup hinting as an intermediary mechanism that guides the sparse creation of client-specific pseudofs. Instead of creating complete pseudofs structures or using complex allocation algorithms, the system uses lookup hints to identify only the necessary resource paths for each client, simplifying the management complexity while achieving sparse resource allocation and reduced memory usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11436354B2Sparse creation of per-client pseudofs in network filesystem with lookup hinting

Publication Date: 2022.09.06 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

One example method includes transmitting, from a client, a remote procedure call (RPC) to a fileserver of a data protection system, the RPC including information identifying an export, then receiving, at the client, node information concerning the export, and the node information concerns a master pseudofs of the fileserver. Finally, the example method includes creating, at the client, a sparse client-specific pseudofs that is based on the node information received from the fileserver, and the sparse client-specific pseudofs includes fewer than all the master pseudofs nodes that the client is authorized to access.