AuriStorFS, the Next Generation AFS, and Linux Kernel AFS

AuriStorFS is a next generation AFS-family file system that transformed the thirty-five year old AFS architecture into a secure global namespace backed by a location-independent object storage infrastructure. The Linux kernel AFS/AuriStorFS client implementation, packaged by several major distributions, addresses perhaps the greatest historical weakness of AFS-family filesystems compared to NFS and SMB: the lack of a native out-of-the-box client experience. This talk will discuss: The enhancements of AuriStorFS over IBM AFS version 3 client-to-object store RPCs and the RX network transport with a focus on the design motivations. The Linux kernel implementations of the AFS/AuriStorFS filesystem, AF_RXRPC socket family, fscache, and keyrings. The pros and cons of the native Linux AFS/AuriStorFS kernel implementation compared to out-of-tree file system implementations such as AuriStorFS and OpenAFS. The benefits of separating authorization decisions from client local identities. Zero-configuration global filesystem namespaces constructed by use of DNS SRV records, the AuriStorFS location service, and AFS mount point objects. Future development directions in support of containerization and over-capacity compute work flows.

Learning Objectives

Convey lessons learned from a decade of implementation experience,Provide guidance to filesystem developers that are debating whether or not to develop Linux filesystem or network modules in-tree under the GPL,Update the SNIA SDC community on the AFS/AuriStorFS improvements since Jeffrey Altman's 2010 AFS talks