Load balancing data access in virtualized storage nodes

Abstract

Systems and methods of load balancing data access in virtualized storage nodes are disclosed. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a data access request from a client for data on a plurality of the virtualized storage nodes. The method also includes connecting the client to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes having data for the data access request. The method also includes reconnecting the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes to continue accessing data in the data access request.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of load balancing data access in virtualized storage nodes, comprising:
 receiving a data access request from a client for data stored on a plurality of virtualized storage nodes;   connecting the client to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes having a portion of the data for the data access request;   reconnecting the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes to access another portion of the data for the data access request; and   directing new data write requests to a deduplication store already having duplicate data that matches the new data based on initial hash signatures.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising signaling the client that the connection to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes is busy while reconnecting the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising interrupting a connection with the client within a timeout window of a data access application. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein interrupting the connection with the client is transparent to the client. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the connection with the client is restored before a data access application registers an error in data access operations. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising reducing backend network traffic between the plurality of virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising balancing bandwidth for the plurality of virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising moving data among the plurality of virtualized storage nodes on a backend network during times of low backup operation traffic. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a virtual drive moving to different nodes as a read progresses through a virtual cartridge stored across the plurality of the virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising writing an initial portion of the new data to a wrong node, and locating the appropriate deduplication store based on the initial portion of the data written to the wrong node, and then moving the initial portion of the data written to the wrong node to a correct node. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising presenting each of the plurality of the virtualized storage nodes as a unique port to a backup application executing on the client. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising disabling a physical port of a virtual drive while enabling presentation of the virtual drive to a backup application executing on the client from a different physical port on a different one of the plurality of the virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein pieces of a virtual cartridge are contained in different deduplication stores based on references to other duplicate data in other virtual cartridges of the virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         29 . A system for load balancing data access in virtualized storage nodes, comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer readable storage comprising instructions to direct the processor, wherein the instructions comprise:
 an interface between the virtualized storage nodes and a client, the interface to receive data access requests from the client for data on the plurality of the virtualized storage nodes; and 
 a connection manager operatively associated with the interface, the connection manager to connect the client to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes having a portion of the data for the data access request, and then reconnect the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes to provide access to another portion of the data for the data access request, and the connection manager directing new data write requests to a deduplication store already having duplicate data that matches the new data based on initial hash signatures. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the interface signals the client that the connection to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes is busy when the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes within a timeout window of a data access application executing for the client. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes transparently to the client. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes before a data access application registers an error in data access operations. 
     
     
         34 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code that is executable by a processor, wherein the code comprises:
 an interface for a plurality of virtualized storage nodes, the interface to receive data access requests from a client for data stored on the plurality of the virtualized storage nodes; and   a connection manager operatively associated with the interface, the connection manager to:
 connect the client to one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes having a portion of the data for the data access request; 
 reconnect the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes to provide access to another portion of the data stored across the plurality of virtualized storage nodes; and 
 direct new data write requests to a deduplication store already having duplicate data that matches the new data based on initial hash signatures. 
   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the interface signals the client that one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes is busy while the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes; and   the connection manager reconnects the client to another one of the plurality of virtualized storage nodes within a timeout window of a data access application executing for the client before the data access application registers an error so that the connection/reconnection is transparent to the client.