Maintaining metadata consistency of a mounted file system during runtime

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11200206-B2
Application number	US-201916531405-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2019
Priority date	Aug 5, 2019
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

While a mounted file system with a file system transaction logging capability is in a metadata frozen state, a file system transaction on the file system is performed, the transaction comprising a logged set of metadata updates required to implement the transaction in the file system, the performing comprising diverting the set of metadata updates from the file system to a temporary storage location outside the file system. During the metadata frozen state, a consistency check on metadata of the file system is performed, the consistency check attempting to identify an inconsistency in the metadata. The file system is recovered from the metadata frozen state, the recovering comprising implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
performing, while a mounted file system with a file system transaction logging capability is in a metadata frozen state, a file system transaction on the file system, the transaction comprising a logged set of metadata updates required to implement the transaction in the file system, the performing comprising diverting the set of metadata updates from the file system to a temporary storage location outside the file system;
performing, during the metadata frozen state, a consistency check on metadata of the file system, the consistency check attempting to identify an inconsistency in the metadata; and
recovering the file system from the metadata frozen state, the recovering comprising implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system, wherein implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system comprises:
copying, to the file system, responsive to determining, during recovery from the metadata frozen state, that a second file system transaction references second metadata stored in the temporary storage location, the second metadata; and
modifying, as part of performing the second file system transaction, the copied second metadata.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system comprises:
determining, during recovery from the metadata frozen state, that a fifth file system transaction references fifth metadata stored in the temporary storage location;
modifying, as part of performing the fifth file system transaction, the fifth metadata stored in the temporary storage location; and
copying, to the file system, the modified fifth metadata.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising logging results of the consistency check.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising marking, responsive to the consistency check determining that third metadata associated with a portion of a file stored in the file system has a consistency error, the portion as read-only, the marking preventing modification of the portion.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising marking, responsive to the consistency check determining that fourth metadata of the file system has a consistency error, the file system as read-only, the marking preventing modification of files stored in the file system.

6. A computer usable program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to perform, while a mounted file system with a file system transaction logging capability is in a metadata frozen state, a file system transaction on the file system, the transaction comprising a logged set of metadata updates required to implement the transaction in the file system, the performing comprising diverting the set of metadata updates from the file system to a temporary storage location outside the file system;
program instructions to perform, during the metadata frozen state, a consistency check on metadata of the file system, the consistency check attempting to identify an inconsistency in the metadata; and
program instructions to recover the file system from the metadata frozen state, the recovering comprising implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system wherein implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system comprises:
program instructions to copy, to the file system, responsive to determining, during recovery from the metadata frozen state, that a second file system transaction references second metadata stored in the temporary storage location, the second metadata; and
program instructions to modify, as part of performing the second file system transaction, the copied second metadata.

7. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , wherein implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system comprises:
program instructions to determine, during recovery from the metadata frozen state, that a fifth file system transaction references fifth metadata stored in the temporary storage location;
program instructions to modify, as part of performing the fifth file system transaction, the fifth metadata stored in the temporary storage location; and
program instructions to copy, to the file system, the modified fifth metadata.

8. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions to log results of the consistency check.

9. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions to mark, responsive to the consistency check determining that third metadata associated with a portion of a file stored in the file system has a consistency error, the portion as read-only, the marking preventing modification of the portion.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions to mark, responsive to the consistency check determining that fourth metadata of the file system has a consistency error, the file system as read-only, the marking preventing modification of files stored in the file system.

11. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 6 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

13. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to perform, while a mounted file system with a file system transaction logging capability is in a metadata frozen state, a file system transaction on the file system, the transaction comprising a logged set of metadata updates required to implement the transaction in the file system, the performing comprising diverting the set of metadata updates from the file system to a temporary storage location outside the file system;
program instructions to perform, during the metadata frozen state, a consistency check on metadata of the file system, the consistency check attempting to identify an inconsistency in the metadata; and
program instructions to recover the file system from the metadata frozen state, the recovering comprising implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system wherein implementing the diverted set of metadata updates on the file system comprises:
program instructions to copy, to the file system, responsive to determining, during recovery from the metadata frozen state, that a second file system transaction references second metadata stored in the temporary storage location, the second metadata; and
program instructions to modify, as part of performing the second file system transaction, the copied second metadata.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein implementi

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Thompson Robert
• Anderson Kenneth
• Yang Yanhua
• Tenjarla Rama Mothey
• Spencer Roy Glenn

Classifications

• G06F16/1734 Primary

  Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs · CPC title

• G06F16/164

  File meta data generation · CPC title

• G06F16/1774

  Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files · CPC title

• G06F16/2365

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title

• G06F16/122

  using management policies (point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185) · CPC title