Patent ID: 7953819
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. In a data processing network including a client, a first file server, and a second file server, a method of access to a storage object in the first file server, said method comprising: the client using a block level access protocol over the network to access the storage object in the first file server; and the first file server accessing the storage object in the first file server by accessing a file in the first file server containing data of the storage object; which includes the first file server replicating a snapshot copy of the file from the first file server over the network to the second file server concurrent with the client using the block level access protocol over the network to write data to the storage object in the first file server; wherein the network is an IP network, the client uses the block level access protocol over a first TCP/IP connection over the network to access the storage object in the first file server, and the client initiates the step of the first file server replicating the snapshot copy of the file over the network to the second file server by sending a command over a second TCP/IP connection to the first file server; and which includes the client pausing the step of writing of data to the storage object in the first file server after a commit operation, and during the pause, the client performing the step of initiating the step of the first file server replicating the snapshot copy of the file from the first file server over the network to the second file server by sending the command over the second TCP/IP connection.