Using Data Striping in a Local Area Network

Weuse the technique of storing the data of a single object across several storage servers, called data striping, to achieve high transfer data rates in a local area network. Using parallel paths to data allows a client to transfer data to and from storage at a higher rate than that supported by a single storage server. We have implemented a network data service, called Swift, that uses data striping. Swift exhibits the expected scaling property in the number of storage servers connected to a network and in the number of interconnection networks present in the system. We have also simulated a version of Swift to explore the limits of possible future configurations. We observe that the system can evolve to support very high speed interconnection networks as well as large numbers of storage servers. Since Swift is a distributed system made up of independently replaceable components, any component that limits the performance can either be replaced by a faster component when it becomes available or can be replicated and used in parallel. This should allow the system to incorporate and exploit emerging storage and networking technologies.