Patent ID: 7240114
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for performing a namespace operation 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 of the plurality of partition servers; wherein at least a first one of the of the plurality of partition servers provides access to a plurality of namespace objects and at least a second one of the plurality of partition servers provides access to a plurality of target objects referenced by the plurality of namespace objects; in response to an unlink namespace operation received at the first one of the partition servers, removing a reference in the namespace object to the target object at the first one of the partition servers, and after the removing step, modifying the target object at the second one of the partition servers consistent with the unlink namespace operation, wherein the modifying includes removing a back pointer in the target object that references the namespace object; and in response to a link namespace operation received at the first one of the plurality partition servers, modifying the target object at the second one of the partition servers consistent with the link namespace operation, and after the modifying step inserting a reference to the target object in the namespace object at the first one of the partition servers, wherein the modifying includes adding a back pointer in the target object to reference the namespace object.