Research On Network Storage Techniques And System Design & Implementation

In the past more than 30 years, Internet has acquired worldwide application and the Browser/Service (B/S) application became the most popular one since 1993 when the graphic browser - MOSAIC was first introduced. Consequently, WWW-based server became the major format in providing network service and Web station became the basic means to serve customs. With explosive increase of network information, it becomes a serious problem for Web stations how to organize, store data and information, and how to raise the efficiency in information access, retrieving, and in data management. As an important part of a Web station, planning and design of network storage systems is closely related to the architecture and overall design of the Web station. This background of work presented in the Mater of Engineering dissertation is concerned with development of Web station and an emphasis has been given to the storage system of a Web station.This dissertation first analyzes shortcomings of the traditional two-tier software architecture and relevant two-stage application structure to lead to a discussion on the three-tier (software) architecture and the three-stage application structure as a result of introduction of midware. The impact of three-stage structure on network storage is also discussed. To introduce discussion followed; this thesis further examines two typical network storage techniques, i.e. the Network Attached Storage (NAS) and the Storage Area Network (SAN), analyzes their merits and shortcomings, and potential advantages to merge two techniques in application. This provides a technique basis for presenting author's work of design of the storage system in South News Web station.The main part of the thesis is concerned with the author's work in planning, design, and implementation of network storage system of the South News Web station. Having analyzed the requirements of the Web station, this dissertation presents a framework with the three-tier (software) architecture and three-stage application structure while remaining the B/S mode. Within the framework, a SAN-based design combined with NAS techniques is presented based on an analysis of requirements of large volume web storage system. This design can overcome the problems in a dispersed storage system, easily solve the data sharing problem in storages with large amount of data access, and improve efficiency of data management. This also ensures a reliable data access in a multi-application environment.Successful upgrading and operation practice of the South News Web station has shown that the separation of the front-end server from storage server gained from the three-stage structure improves the efficiency of the Web station and enables smooth expansion of applications. Operation results have also shown that the author's design of Web storage system is suitable for the environment where applications and data are physically separated, can satisfy the requirements of high-speed data access, and enables an easy capacity expansion.