Shared data storage leveraging dispersed storage devices

摘要

A storage system provides shared storage by utilizing dispersed storage devices while optimizing both the placement of data across the dispersed storage devices and the method for accessing the stored data. The storage system enables high level of scalability and performance while minimizing resource consumption.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for shared storage service in a computing environment comprising a plurality of servers each having a local storage pool comprising one or more locally accessible storage devices, the local storage pools collectively forming a global storage pool available to the plurality of servers, the method comprising:
receiving from a first server, an instruction to create a file in the global storage pool for the plurality of servers; determining a number of file images to create for the file in the global storage pool based on at least one of: a type of the file, an application associated with the file, a desired availability level for the file, a desired performance level associated with accessing the file, and a cost associated with accessing the file; selecting a set of one or more local storage pools to store the file images, the set of one or more local storage pools selected based on first optimization criteria; for each of the selected set of local storage pools, creating a file image for the file; and updating a file image map to store an association between the file and the selected set of one or more local storage pools that store the file images.