[Federated-fs] fs_root in federated namespace

Ellard, Daniel Daniel.Ellard at netapp.com
Mon Jun 16 10:58:29 PDT 2008


Theresa --

	I think that the fs_root has a different meaning than how you're
interpreting it, and the good news is that I think this makes the
problem much simpler.

The fs_root isn't the location of the root of the fileset in the global
namespace -- it's the name relative to the root of that specific server,
not the position of the fileset in the global (client-visible)
namespace.  (at least, that's how I read section 6.3 of the nfsv4
spec/11.9 of the 4.11 spec; someone PLEASE tell me if I'm wrong!)

No NSDB operations should be required to find the fs_root. (and
currently, there aren't any NSDB operations that would be particularly
useful in finding the fs_root)

-Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: Raj, Theresa 
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 1:00 PM
To: federated-fs at sdsc.edu
Subject: [Federated-fs] fs_root in federated namespace

I have a question about the fs_root value provided by fileservers as
part of the FS_LOCATIONS attribute. This also kind of ties into the root
namespace discussion that's recently come up on the list.
 
In the federated namespace, a fileserver's fileset is hanging off
someplace within the namespace. And it is not incumbent upon the
fileserver to know about where this fileset is hanging in the namespace,
i.e., the fileserver need not know the pathname from the root of the
namespace that leads to the junction that has the FSL pointing to this
fileserver and this fileset. 
 
So now if there is a junction embedded in its fileset, the fileserver is
required to provide the FS_LOCATIONS attribute for that junction. For
the server, rootpath details of that junction the NSDB has that
information and the fileserver will obtain those from the NSDB. But for
the fs_root part of this attribute, how can the fileserver construct the
full pathname to that junction. The fileserver can figure out the
portion of the pathname that is within its fileset but not the
antecedent portion of the pathname.
 
I think that the fileserver needs some help to figure the fs_root value.
How that can be achieved in another discussion.
 
Thanks,
Theresa
 
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