[Pvfs2-developers] PVFS2 steps for file/dir/block operation?

[Peng Gu]

Hey Rob,

On 10/7/06, Rob Ross <rross at mcs.anl.gov> wrote:
> For file/dir deletion, we remove the corresponding directory entry first
> to guarantee that the object is no longer visible, then we begin tearing
> down whatever objects are left (metadata, datafiles, etc.).
>
> For rename we first create the new directory entry, then remove the old
> directory entry (so there is a window of time where the object has two
> "names", but may be correctly accessed under either), then remove
> anything that used to be referred to by the new name.
>
> Block allocation is handled by the underlying local file systems; we
> don't have to do anything there.
>
> Generally you can figure this sort of stuff out by looking at the state
> machine state names; they're fairly descriptive.

When you say state machine, do you mean the state machine code with
.sm postfix in those dirs like pvfs2-1.5.1/src/server? It seems that
they are written in some soft of language unfamiliar to me. Would you
please give me some instructions on reading that code?

Or do you have some document picturing the state transition diagram
for those file operation functions?

Thanks a lot!
Peng