Patent ID: 8589550
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. In a data processing system having multiple compute nodes, at least one metadata server linked to the compute nodes for servicing requests from the compute nodes for file mapping information identifying iSCSI LUNs of data storage and logical blocks of file data within the iSCSI LUNs, a plurality of iSCSI storage access servers linked by a Gigabit Ethernet IP network to the compute nodes for servicing iSCSI I/O requests from the compute nodes for access to the logical blocks of file data, and a storage area network linking the iSCSI storage access servers to multiple data storage devices for servicing requests from the compute nodes for parallel access to specified iSCSI LUNs of the file data in the data storage devices, a method comprising: the iSCSI storage access servers reporting to the metadata server loading of the iSCSI I/O requests from the compute nodes upon the iSCSI storage access servers; and the metadata server balancing the loading of the iSCSI I/O requests from the compute nodes upon the iSCSI storage access servers by indicating to the compute nodes respective ones of the iSCSI storage access servers that should be used for access to the iSCSI LUNs.