A Workload Model for Large Distributed File Systems

We are developing a simulation-based system for design evaluation of very large distributed file services. This paper describes the workload generation component of our system. We use a parameterized model that extends current models of centralized file system usage, and can reflect the large scale and the sharing patterns that may arise in future distributed systems. The key features of the model are 1) a hierarchical sharing structure, 2) a classification of files according to their sharing and access type properties 3) modeling of client processes and 4) incremental trace generation. 1