Home Networking as a Distributed File System view Serge Defrance, Rémy Gendrot, Jean Le Roux, Gilles Straub, Thierry Tapie Technicolor R&D, Rennes, France. Distributed Storage, Rennes, September 2011

The problem and our approach How to implement the proposed solution The potential benefits for user applications Outline 2 9/19/2015

Heterogeneous home network environment Organize the access to the content stored in or from the various devices. Where our reflexion starts… 3 9/19/2015 PCs Tablets Game Consoles TV sets NAS ?

UPNP/DLNA, the most accomplished candidate Zero configuration protocol Targets unskilled users Still evolving Requires updates May generate incompatibilities A unique protocol 4 9/19/2015 PCs Tablets Game Consoles TV sets NAS

Minimize software installation on devices Central Equipment connected to each device Always powered on May be controlled by the ISP (or a “service” provider)  Move all software installation on the gateway  Use it as a protocol translator Our gateway-centric approach 5 9/19/2015 PCs Tablets Game Consoles TV sets NAS

Take benefits of the VFS abstraction layer A connected device appears as a folder in the tree structure of the gateway This choice ensures backward compatibility with the existing applications  The challenge : automate VFS modules installation and setup Organize a file system view 6 9/19/2015

An automation software running on the gateway Communication starts via http on user initiative The home network organizer 7 9/19/2015 VFS DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB Network organizer HTTP Server http communication Gateway

Zero configuration protocol solves the automation problem A Fuse module to map under the VFS other UPNP/DLNA servers Djmount Access to UPNP/DLNA devices 8 9/19/2015 VFS DJMount Upnp/Dlna servers …… …… Network organizer HTTP Server Gateway

Experimented Dropbox and GdataFS for Youtube and Picassa Automate the installation and configuration of the modules Cloud storage systems 9 9/19/2015 VFS DJMount … Dropbox client GdataFS Network organizer HTTP Server http communication Gateway

Collects information via http (user name, type of device, IP…) Creates appropriate folders and associated exports… …on the gateway and on the device via an appropriate script SMB/NFS devices 10 9/19/2015 VFS DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB Network organizer HTTP Server http communication Gateway

Tree structure 11 9/19/2015 OtherShares Serge Jean Bob Gateway view NetworkShares DJMount Dropbox GdataFS UsersShares User (Bob) PC view OtherNetworks NetworkShares Dropbox DJMount GdataFS OtherShares Jean Serge Bob MyShare

Backward compatibility : distant storage appears as local. Use of previous file manager or media player Benefits for the applications 12 9/19/ VFS DLNA TV UPNP DLNA Server Network Organizer HTTP Server http communication Gateway Indexation DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB Local FS

Enhanced navigation 13 9/19/2015

Enhanced navigation 14 9/19/2015

Via a UPNP/DLNA media server on top of the VFS Offers any VFS content to a UPNP/DLNA client PS3 Media Server, MiniDlna Enhanced navigation 15 9/19/ VFS DLNA TV or miniDlna Network Organizer HTTP Server http communication Gateway Indexation DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB

Enhanced navigation 16 9/19/2015

Enhanced navigation 17 9/19/2015

Enhanced navigation 18 9/19/2015

Open source software. Merge indexation and Network Organizer functions Content indexation : DAM 19 9/19/2015 VFS (Indexation + NetworkOrganizer) HTTP Server Gateway DAM DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB

Unique interface : DAM 20 9/19/2015

Via a web browser Same menu for all devices Advanced remote control 21 9/19/ DLNA TV Upnp Media Server (Indexation + NetworkOrganizer) HTTP Server Gateway DAM Upnp Control Point UPnP Control http Control Tablet VFS DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB

Backup software runs on the gateway Local or distant safe storage. Home network content backup 22 9/19/2015 Back Up application DLNA TV Upnp Media Server (Indexation + NetworkOrganizer) HTTP Server Gateway DAM Upnp Control Point UPnP Control http Control Tablet VFS DLNA TV DJMountDropbox client GdataFSNFSSMB

High peer availability Cloud/peer to peer/hybrid Home systems may contribute to cloud storage capabilities New Home storage architecture 23 9/19/2015 Storage in the Cloud 50 % free space

Unify the content access in the home network heterogeneous environment Automate the deployment of the Unix VFS Network Organizer running on the gateway Leveraging user experience Navigation, indexation, remote control, backup Many open tracks Home storage architecture Data sharing Security … Conclusion 24 9/19/2015

Technicolor Innov8 expo, June 21 – 23, 2011, London, UK. 25 9/19/2015

This study was partially funded by the FIGARO (Future Internet Gateway-based Architecture of Residential networks, FP7-ICT ) collaborative project. Acknoledgement 26 9/19/2015

Thank you ! Distributed Storage, Rennes, September 2011

Collects information relative to the new comer Creates appropriates folders and exports on the gateway and generates an appropriate script for the client….. SMB/ NFS devices : first Registration (1/2) 28 9/19/2015 Gateway Network Organizer HTTP Server Lea Client User information Make client script and build folders Share_dir John Client John_dirLea_dir HTTP Windows HTTP Linux User information

Proposes the appropriate script for execution to the new comer Script, which creates appropriates folders and exports on the client (new comer). SMB/ NFS devices : first Registration (2/2) 29 9/19/2015 Network Organizer HTTP Server Lea Client Share_dir John Client John_dirLea_dir HTTP Windows HTTP Linux MyShares OtherShares Launch installation and build folders! MyShares OtherShares Launch installation and build folders! Gateway Download client batch Download client script

Each time a user/device joins the home network Activate the prepared mounts/exports SMB / NFS Devices : then Connection (1/2) 30 9/19/2015 Gateway Network Organizer HTTP Server Lea Client Share_dir John Client John_dirLea_dir HTTP Windows HTTP Linux MyShares OtherShares MyShares OtherShares Connect Export and mount folders share export

Disconnection (unmount) when leaving the home network An absent device appears as disconnected (regular pings) SMB / NFS Devices : then Connection (2/2) 31 9/19/2015 Gateway Network Organizer HTTP Server Lea Client Share_dir John Client John_dir Lea_dir_disconnected HTTP Windows HTTP Linux MyShares OtherShares MyShares OtherShares User disconnection request or cable disconnection Umount folder and rename it as disconnected

UPNP/DLNA devices 32 9/19/2015 VFS DLNA TV DJMount Upnp Media Server Dropbox clientGdataFSNFSSMB (Indexation + NetworkOrganizer) HTTP Server Gateway DAM Upnp Control Point UPnP Control http Control Tablet Back Up application