Active-Passive Data Replication for Multi-Petabyte Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional storage area network (SAN) and network-attached storage (NAS) architectures are not designed to support large multi-petabyte capacity levels, and they face challenges in data storage and protection, which object storage technology, such as ECS™, addresses by utilizing a scale-out, cluster-based, shared-nothing architecture with geographically distributed replication to ensure data availability and protection.
Innovation Solution
The ECS™ platform employs a geographically distributed storage system with an Active-Passive replication model, where some zones are in active mode and others are in passive mode, allowing for flexible data access and high availability/disaster recovery while reducing resource demands by storing backup copies within active and passive regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional SAN/NAS architectures are used for data storage, then data storage and protection can be provided, but they cannot support large multi-petabyte capacity levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into multiple geographically distributed zones, each capable of independent operation. This segmentation allows the system to scale to multi-petabyte capacities by adding more zones without requiring the entire system to be redesigned, directly addressing the limitation of traditional SAN/NAS architectures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces geographic distribution as an additional dimension to the storage architecture. Instead of simply expanding storage capacity in a single location, data is replicated across multiple geographically dispersed zones, enabling the system to support large multi-petabyte capacities while maintaining accessibility and protection.
2Reliability
If data is replicated across multiple geographically distributed zones, then data availability and protection are improved, but storage resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing different zones to have different roles (active or passive) based on their specific characteristics and requirements. Active zones provide data access while passive zones provide backup capacity, optimizing the use of storage resources across the distributed system while maintaining data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary replication of data to passive zones before failures occur. This preliminary action ensures that backup copies are already in place and ready for immediate access if an active zone fails, improving data availability without requiring real-time replication during failure events.
3Use of energy by moving object
If active-passive replication model is used, then resource demands are reduced, but data access flexibility may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic role assignment where zones can transition between active and passive states based on system conditions, failure events, and operational requirements. This dynamic behavior allows the system to reduce resource demands during normal operation by using passive zones for backup, while maintaining data access flexibility by promoting passive zones to active status when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a zone manager as an intermediary component that coordinates data access across active and passive zones. This mediator handles the complexity of determining which zones are active or passive, managing failover scenarios, and routing data access requests appropriately, thereby reducing resource demands while preserving ease of operation for users.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein, system that facilitates replication of data in a geographically distributed storage environment. According to an embodiment, a system can comprise determining whether a data storage system is in an active data storage mode or a passive data storage mode. In active data storage mode, the data storage system can accept connections from an application, permit the application to store new data objects, replicate the new data objects to other data storage systems, and accept replicated data. In passive data storage mode, the data storage system can block storage of new data objects by the application while accepting replicated data.