| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20100312959 | SPATIAL LOCALITY OF FILE SYSTEM BLOCK ALLOCATIONS FOR RELATED ITEMS - Example apparatus, methods, and computers facilitate improving spatial locality of file system block allocations for related items. One example method includes accessing a block allocation request that is configured to control a computer to allocate a block of storage available on a storage device and, upon determining that the block allocation request includes a session key that identifies a session associated with a block reservation pool, controlling the computer to allocate a block of storage from the block reservation pool to satisfy the block allocation request rather than allocating a block of storage from generally available blocks of storage. The block reservation pool includes blocks of storage on the storage device that satisfy a spatial locality relationship determined by a pre-read technique associated with the storage device. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110107139 | TIMER BOUNDED ARBITRATION PROTOCOL FOR RESOURCE CONTROL - Example apparatus, methods, and computers prevent a split brain scenario in a pair of high availability servers by maintaining single writer access to a resource by controlling the resource according to a timer bounded arbitration protocol that controls self-termination of a writer process. One example method includes monitoring control of an arbitration (ARB) block by an active file system manager (FSM) and selectively causing a selection of a standby metadata controller (MDC) when control of the ARB block does not satisfy the timer bounded ARB protocol. The example method also includes selectively forcing a hardware reset of an apparatus running the active FSM and selectively establishing an FSM on a selected redundant MDC as a replacement FSM. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110113066 | ADAPTING A TIMER BOUNDED ARBITRATION PROTOCOL - Example apparatus, methods, and computers prevent a split brain scenario in a pair of high availability servers by maintaining single writer access to a resource. One example method includes monitoring control of an arbitration (ARB) block by an active file system manager (FSM). An active file system portmapper (FSMPM) simultaneously requests permission from a standby FSM to restart a dead-man timer. The active FSM attempts to maintain control of the ARB block before expiration of the dead-man timer. If the active FSM is unable to maintain control of the ARB block before expiration of the dead-man timer, a hardware reset of an apparatus running the active FSM is forced. Therefore, the active FSMPM and standby FSM negotiate for additional time to maintain control of the ARB block to maintain single writer access and avoid unnecessary hardware resets. | 05-12-2011 |