Systems and methods for storing parity groups

Abstract

A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency.

1 . A network file storage system comprising:
 a first file server operably connected to a network fabric;   a second file server operably connected to the network fabric;   first file system information loaded on the first file server;   second file system information loaded on the second file server;   wherein the first file system information and the second file system information is configured to allow a client computer to operably connected to the network fabric to locate files stored by the first file server and files stored by the second file server without prior knowledge of which file server stores the files.   
     
     
         2 . The network file storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the first file system information comprises first file system metadata and the second file system information comprises second file system metadata. 
     
     
         3 . The network file storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the first file server stores a server ID of the second file server, and is configured to send the server ID to the client computer in response to a root directory lookup request from the client computer. 
     
     
         4 . The network file storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the first file server stores information to enable the first file server to reconstruct information content of the second file system metadata; and wherein the second file server stores information to enable the second file server to reconstruct information content of the first file system metadata. 
     
     
         5 . The network file storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the first file server is configured to mirror at least a portion of the files stored by the second file server. 
     
     
         6 . In a network file storage system comprising at least first and second file servers and at least one client computer coupled to a network fabric; a method of performing a file handle lookup comprising:
 sending a root directory lookup request from a client computer to the first file server;   sending a response to the root directory lookup request from the first file server to the client computer, the response including a server ID of the second file server;   sending a directory lookup request from the client computer to the second file server; and   in response to the directory lookup request, sending a file handle from the second file server to the client computer.