Patent ID: 6687701
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer-implemented method for performing namespace operations in a distributed file system disposed on a plurality of partition servers, each partition server controlling access to a subset of shared storage objects in the distributed file system, wherein the shared storage objects are hierarchically related, and each namespace operation involves a namespace object and a target object that are part of the shared storage objects, comprising:serializing namespace operations received at each partition server; performing steps (a)-(d) in response to a link namespace operation; (a) writing a link log record that describes the link operation to a log file in retentive storage; (b) modifying the target object consistent with the link namespace operation after the writing step; (c) after the modifying step inserting a reference in the namespace object to the target object; and (d) deleting the link log record after the inserting step; performing steps (e)-(h) in response to an unlink namespace operation; (e) writing an unlink log record that describes the unlink operation to the log file in retentive storage; (f) removing a reference in the namespace object to the target object after writing the log record; (g) after the removing step, modifying the target object consistent with the unlink namespace operation; and (h) deleting the unlink log record after the modifying step (g).