Network Distributed File System

Abstract

A storage pool component is operable on a computing device including a storage medium having an otherwise free storage capacity for forming a portion of a storage capacity of a storage pool and being operably connected across a network to at least one other such component. The component comprises configuration data identifying at least one other computing device to which the computing device may connect across the network; and a directory for identifying file information for files of the storage pool stored on the storage medium, the file information being stored with a degree of redundancy across the computing devices of the storage pool. On instantiation, the component for communicates with at least one other component operating on one of the other computing devices to verify the contents of the directory. The component reconciles file information stored on the storage medium with file information from the remainder of the storage pool. The component then acts as a driver, responsive to an access request for a file stored in the storage pool received across the network from another component of the storage pool, for determining a location of the file on the storage medium from the directory and for accessing the file accordingly.

1 . A storage pool component operable on a computing device including a storage medium having an otherwise free storage capacity for forming a portion of a storage capacity of a storage pool and being operably connected across a network to at least one other storage pool component, each storage pool component operating on a computing device providing a respective portion of said storage pool capacity, said storage pool component comprising: configuration data identifying said at least one other computing device to which said computing device may connect across said network; a directory for identifying file information for files of said storage pool stored on said storage medium, said file information being stored with a degree of redundancy across said computing devices of said storage pool; means responsive to instantiation of said component for communicating with at least one other component operating on one of said at least one other computing devices for verifying the contents of said directory; means for reconciling file information stored on said storage medium with file information from the remainder of said storage pool; and a driver, responsive to an access request for a file stored in said storage pool received across said network from another component of said storage pool, for: determining a location of said file on said storage medium from said directory; accessing said file accordingly.