DISTRIBUTED OBJECT-BASED STORAGE SYSTEM THAT STORES VIRTUALIZATION MAPS IN OBJECT ATTRIBUTES

摘要

A distributed object-based storage system (100) and method includes a plurality of object storage devices (20) for storing object components, a metadata server (40) coupled to each of the object storage devices (20), and one or more clients (30) that access distributed, object-based files (200) on the object storage devices (20). A file object (200) having multiple components on different object storage devices (20) is accessed by issuing a file access request from a client (30) to an object storage device (20) for a file object (200). In response to the file access request, a map (220) is located that includes a list of object storage devices (20) where components of the requested file object (200) reside. The map (220) is stored as at least one component object attribute on an object storage device (20). The map (220) is sent to the client (30) which retrieves the components of the requested file object (200) by issuing access requests to each of the object storage devices (20) on the list.