Multitenant Application Server Union File System Metadata Sharing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multitenant application server systems face inefficiencies in sharing application template files among users, requiring data duplication and resulting in increased processor cycles and storage resource usage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a union file system that merges user, tenant, and base layers, allowing files to be shared by modifying metadata rather than copying, thereby avoiding duplication and optimizing access permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If application template files are duplicated for each user in existing multitenant systems, then file sharing among users is achieved, but processor cycles and storage resources are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple user file systems into a single shared file system using union mount technology. Instead of duplicating application template files for each user, the system combines read-only base layers with read-write user-specific layers, allowing multiple users to access the same underlying files while maintaining individual customization capabilities through overlaying unique modifications.
2Ease of operation
If application template files are copied for each user, then access permissions can be controlled, but data duplication occurs increasing processor cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file system into distinct layers: read-only base layers containing shared application templates, and read-write user-specific layers containing individual modifications. This segmentation allows the system to control access permissions at the layer level while avoiding duplication of the large base layer content, as all users share the same read-only base files.
Solution Approach 2:
The union file system acts as an intermediary layer between the shared read-only base files and individual user applications. It manages access permissions and combines files from multiple layers dynamically, allowing permission control without requiring physical copies of the base files for each user.
3Reliability
If traditional file system duplication is used for multitenancy, then user isolation is achieved, but storage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the file systems of multiple users into a unified structure where shared content is stored once in read-only base layers. User isolation is maintained through separate read-write layers that overlay the shared base, ensuring that while storage is efficient (no duplication), each user's modifications remain isolated and private to that user.
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems are directed to a multitenant application server using a union file system. Each tenant has one or more users and a tenant layer in the union file system. Each user has a user layer in the union file system. The union file system provides a logical file system to each user based on the user layer, the tenant layer, and a base layer comprising a set of application layers. A first user shares an application template 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 application defined by the application template file. The moving of the file is achieved by modifying metadata for the file.