File switch and switched file system

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided in a computer network to decouple the client from the server, by placing a transparent network node, also termed a file switch or file switch computer, between the client and the server. Usage of such a file switch allows reduced latency in file transfers, as well as scalable mirroring, striping, spillover, and other features.

1 . A method for aggregating network file protocol transactions in a network system, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a first frame of a first message belonging to a first transaction, the first frame containing a first file protocol header and a first data, the first transaction initiated by a first client computer;   based on information in the first file protocol header, selecting a first set of file servers to participate in handling the first transaction;   sending a second frame to a first server from the first set of file servers, the second frame containing a second file protocol header and a portion of the first data, the second file protocol header being derived from the first file protocol header.   
   
   
       2 . The method in  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a third frame from said first server, the third frame containing a third file protocol header;   sending a fourth frame to the first client computer, the fourth frame containing a fourth file protocol header, the fourth file protocol header being derived from the third file protocol header.   
   
   
       3 . The method in  claim 1  further comprising the step of sending a third frame to a second server from the first set of file servers, the third frame containing a third file protocol header and a portion of the first data, the third file protocol header being derived from the first file protocol header. 
   
   
       4 . The method in  claim 3  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a fourth frame from said first server, the fourth frame containing a fourth file protocol header;   receiving a fifth frame from said second server, the fifth frame containing a fifth file protocol header;   creating a response file protocol header, derived from the fourth file protocol header and from the fifth file protocol header;   sending a sixth frame to the first client computer, the sixth frame containing the response file protocol header.   
   
   
       5 . A method for aggregating network file protocol transactions in a network system, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a first frame of a first message belonging to a first transaction, the first frame containing a first file protocol header and a first data, the first transaction initiated by a first client computer;   based on information in the first file protocol header, selecting a first set of file servers to participate in handling the first transaction;   sending a second frame to a first server from the first set of file servers, the second frame containing a second file protocol header and a portion of the first data, the second file protocol header being derived from the first file protocol header;   receiving a third frame of the first message, the third frame containing a second data;   sending a fourth frame to a second server from the first set of file servers, the fourth frame containing a third file protocol header and a portion of the second data.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a fifth frame from said first server, the fifth frame containing a fourth file protocol header;   receiving a sixth frame from said second server, the sixth frame containing a fifth file protocol header;   sending a seventh frame to the first client computer, the seventh frame containing a sixth file protocol header, the sixth file protocol header being derived from the fourth file protocol header and from the fifth file protocol header.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the steps of:
 sending a fifth frame to a third server from the first set of file servers, the fifth frame containing a modified first file protocol header and a portion of the first data,   sending a sixth frame to a fourth server from the first set of file servers, the sixth frame containing a file protocol header and a portion of the second data.   
   
   
       8 . A method for aggregating network file protocol transactions in a network system, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a first frame belonging to a first transaction, the first frame containing a first file protocol header, the first transaction initiated by a first client computer;   based on information in the first file protocol header, selecting a first set of file servers to participate in handling the first transaction;   sending a second frame to a first server from the first set of file servers, the second frame containing a modified first file protocol header;   sending a third frame to a second server from the first set of file servers, the second frame containing a modified first file protocol header.   
   
   
       9 - 33 . (canceled)