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Techniques for building highly available distributed file systems

Tait, Carl D.

This paper analyzes recent research in the field of distributed file systems, with a particular emphasis on the problem of high availability. Several of the techniques involved in building such a system are discussed individually: naming, replication, multiple versions, caching, stashing, and logging. These techniques range from extensions of ideas used in centralized file systems, through new notions already in use, to radical ideas that have not yet been implemented. A number of working and proposed systems are described in conjunction with the analysis of each technique. The paper concludes that a low degree of replication, a liberal use of client and server caching, and optimistic behavior in the face of network partition are all necessary to ensure high availability.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Computer Science
Publisher
Department of Computer Science, Columbia University
Series
Columbia University Computer Science Technical Reports, CUCS-497-89
Published Here
April 26, 2011