Block Storage Gateway for Networked Data Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in efficiently sharing block-level data over networks, particularly between a backup server and an application server, due to high overhead in file protocols and the inability of block storage devices to be easily shared among multiple computers, which hinders quick and cost-effective data backup and editing processes.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows block data to be shared over a network by treating non-removable block storage devices as removable devices, using a logical algorithm program to manage ownership and facilitate read/write commands, enabling direct data transfer from an application server to a hard drive and subsequent transfer to tape for backup, without requiring customized software or hardware on accessing computers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If file protocol (CIFS) is used for data transfer over network, then file sharing among multiple computers is supported, but data transfer performance is poor due to large overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between the block storage device and the network. The gateway translates block-level operations into file-level operations, enabling file sharing protocols to work with block storage devices without requiring the storage device itself to support file protocols, thus maintaining high data transfer performance while enabling file sharing capabilities.
2Productivity
If block protocol (iSCSI) is used for data transfer over network, then data transfer performance is high with low overhead, but block storage devices cannot be easily shared by multiple computers
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway acts as a mediator that receives block-level requests from multiple computers via iSCSI protocol and translates them into operations on the block storage device. This allows multiple computers to share the block storage device simultaneously without interfering with each other, while maintaining the high performance benefits of block-level protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the functionality between the gateway and the block storage device. The gateway handles the complexity of multi-computer coordination and protocol translation, while the block storage device focuses on high-speed data operations. This segmentation allows the storage device to maintain its performance characteristics while gaining sharing capabilities through the gateway.
3Speed
If operating system keeps large amounts of data in cache when interacting with non-removable block storage device, then data access speed is improved, but operating system does not relinquish control of the storage device quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as an intermediary layer between the operating system and the block storage device. It manages the cache on behalf of multiple operating systems, allowing each OS to maintain its cache for fast access while the gateway coordinates access rights and enables smooth transfer of device control between different computers without requiring OS modifications.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for sharing block data includes a non-removable device for storing block data (e.g. a hard drive) that is networked with a plurality of computers. Each computer can initiate discovery commands and read/write commands, and transmit these commands over the network to the non-removable storage device. Computer commands are intercepted and processed by a logical algorithm program at the storage device. One function of the logical algorithm program is to instruct each computer to treat the non-removable block storage device as a removable block device. Because the computers treat the storage device as a removable block device, they relinquish control of the device (after use) to other computers on the network. The logical algorithm program also functions to allocate temporary ownership of the block storage device to one of the computers on the network and passes temporary ownership from computer to computer on the network.