Backend Aware Virtualized Storage Housekeeping Coordination

Solution Overview

Problem

The operation of virtualized storage systems often leads to inefficient and unnecessary backend housekeeping operations in computer storage systems, as they are unaware of the underlying storage systems' activities, causing conflicts and repetitions in housekeeping tasks.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of Backend Aware Virtualized Storage (BAVS) detects backend housekeeping operations and determines storage overhead conditions, allowing for corrective actions such as delaying commands or postponing storage virtualization housekeeping operations to prevent redundant tasks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If storage virtualization system performs housekeeping operations independently without awareness of backend storage system activities, then storage virtualization system can maintain its own data structures and perform necessary maintenance tasks, but backend storage system performs redundant and inefficient housekeeping operations due to lack of coordination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousekeeping operation efficiencyVSAvoidstorage overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The storage virtualization system sends feedback information to the backend storage system about its housekeeping operations and data structure changes. This feedback mechanism allows the backend storage system to adjust its operations accordingly, avoiding redundant work while ensuring both systems remain coordinated and efficient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

A coordination mechanism acts as an intermediary between the storage virtualization system and the backend storage system. This intermediary manages communication and synchronization, allowing both systems to perform housekeeping operations without conflict or redundancy by coordinating their activities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If storage virtualization system issues commands to backend storage system without awareness of ongoing backend housekeeping operations, then storage operations can proceed according to virtualized data structures, but conflicts and repetitions occur in housekeeping tasks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage operation independenceVSAvoidhousekeeping operation coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage virtualization system performs preliminary actions by notifying the backend storage system of upcoming housekeeping operations before they occur. This advance notification allows the backend storage system to prepare and avoid conflicts, ensuring reliable coordination while maintaining operational independence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The backend storage system provides feedback about its ongoing housekeeping operations to the storage virtualization system. This feedback loop enables the storage virtualization system to adjust its command issuance timing and avoid conflicts, maintaining both operational independence and reliable coordination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If backend storage system performs housekeeping operations without knowledge of storage virtualization system activities, then backend storage system can optimize its own performance, but unnecessary duplication of housekeeping tasks occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackend storage performanceVSAvoidredundant operation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The storage virtualization system sends feedback information to the backend storage system about its housekeeping operations and data structure changes. This feedback mechanism allows the backend storage system to adjust its operations accordingly, avoiding redundant work while ensuring both systems remain coordinated and efficient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The storage virtualization system performs preliminary actions by notifying the backend storage system of upcoming housekeeping operations before they occur. This advance notification allows the backend storage system to prepare and avoid conflicts, ensuring reliable coordination while maintaining operational independence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11782641B2Backend aware virtualized storage

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A first backend housekeeping operation of a backend storage system is detected by a storage virtualization system. The first backend housekeeping operation is related to a first backend storage portion of the backend storage system. The storage virtualization system transfers data to the backend storage system for storage and retrieval. The storage virtualization system issues commands to the backend storage system. A first virtualized operation related to a first virtualized storage portion of the storage virtualization system is identified. A storage overhead condition is determined based on the first backend storage portion and based on the first virtualized operation. A storage corrective action is performed based on the storage overhead condition. The storage corrective action prevents the potential performance of one or more additional backend housekeeping operations.