Large scale storage system and method of operating thereof

Abstract

There are provided a computer node configured to operate in a distributed storage system (DSS) comprising interconnected computer nodes and storage-related resources and a method of operating thereon. The method comprises: detecting by the computer node in the DSS an unconnected storage-related resource connectable to the computer node; searching by a computer node a plug-in required to meet Service Level Specification (SLS) associated with the computer node, thereby giving rise to a found plug-in; and upon associating, by the computer node, the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in, connecting the unconnected storage-related resource to the computer node.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a computer node in a distributed storage system (DSS) comprising interconnected computer nodes and storage-related resources; the method comprising:
 a. detecting by the computer node in the DSS an unconnected storage-related resource connectable to the computer node;   b. searching by a computer node a plug-in required to meet Service Level Specification (SLS) associated with the computer node, thereby giving rise to a found plug-in; and   c. upon associating, by the computer node, the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in, connecting the unconnected storage-related resource to the computer node.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein searching the plug-in comprises searching on the computer node and on storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein searching the plug-in further comprises, when the plug-in is not found on the computer node and the storage-related resources connected thereto, searching on one or more other interconnected computer nodes and storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein searching the plug-in further comprises issuing a plug-in request when the plug-in is not found on the one or more other interconnected computer nodes and the storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in is provided in accordance with specification of the found plug-in. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in comprises installing the found plug-in on a processing resource of the computer node. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the found plug-in is selected from a group consisting of data processing plug-ins, storage feature plug-ins and application plug-ins. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the data processing plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of data deduplication plug-ins, data encryption plug-ins, and data compression plug-ins. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the storage feature plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of content indexing plug-ins, snapshot management plug-ins, tiering management plug-ins, disaster recovery plug-ins and continuous data protection plug-ins. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the application plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of database plug-ins, and management plug-ins. 
     
     
         11 . A computer node configured to operate in a distributed storage system (DSS) comprising interconnected computer nodes and storage-related resources; the computer node comprising a processing resource configured to:
 a. detect in the DSS an unconnected storage-related resource connectable to the computer node;   b. search a plug-in required to meet Service Level Specification (SLS) associated with the computer node, thereby giving rise to a found plug-in; and   c. associate the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in and connect the unconnected storage-related resource to the computer node.   
     
     
         12 . The computer node of  claim 11 , wherein searching the plug-in comprises searching on the computer node and on storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         13 . The computer node of  claim 12 , wherein searching the plug-in further comprises, when the plug-in is not found on the computer node and on the storage-related resources connected thereto, searching on one or more other interconnected computer nodes and storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The computer node of  claim 13 , wherein searching the plug-in further comprises issuing a plug-in request when the plug-in is not found on the one or more other interconnected computer nodes and the storage-related resources connected thereto. 
     
     
         15 . The computer node of  claim 11 , wherein the processing resource is configured to associate the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in in accordance with specification of the found plug-in. 
     
     
         16 . The computer node of  claim 11 , wherein associating the unconnected storage-related resource with the found plug-in comprises installing the found plug-in on the processing resource. 
     
     
         17 . The computer node of  claim 11 , wherein the found plug-in is selected from a group consisting of data processing plug-ins, storage feature plug-ins and application plug-ins. 
     
     
         18 . The computer node of  claim 17 , wherein the data processing plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of data deduplication plug-ins, data encryption plug-ins, and data compression plug-ins. 
     
     
         19 . The computer node of  claim 17 , wherein the storage feature plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of content indexing plug-ins, snapshot management plug-ins, tiering management plug-ins, disaster recovery plug-ins and continuous data protection plug-ins. 
     
     
         20 . The computer node of  claim 17 , wherein the application plug-ins are selected from a group consisting of database plug-ins, and management plug-ins.