Boot Data Recovery via Dual-Network Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clustered storage systems, boot device failures can lead to node failures, disrupting data synchronization and storage integrity, as existing solutions lack efficient mechanisms for diagnosing and correcting boot device issues across nodes in a cluster network environment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of remote management modules that communicate via a management network to detect boot device problems, select and transmit necessary boot data from a manager node to a target node through a cluster network, enabling the target node to repair or rewrite its boot device, ensuring consistent boot data across nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If remote management modules communicate via management network to detect boot device problems, then diagnostic capability is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cluster network into two separate networks: a management network for remote management module communication and diagnostics, and a cluster network for data storage operations. This segmentation allows diagnostic functions to operate independently without interfering with core storage operations, resolving the contradiction by improving detection capability while containing complexity in a dedicated management plane.
Solution Approach 2:
Remote management modules act as intermediary components that bridge the gap between boot device problems and diagnostic capabilities. These modules communicate boot device status and problems through the management network, enabling indirect detection without requiring direct access to boot devices, thus improving diagnostic capability while maintaining network structure integrity.
2Ease of repair
If boot data is transmitted from manager node to target node through cluster network, then boot device recovery is improved, but data transmission security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dual-network architecture where the management network serves as an intermediary channel for transmitting boot data. Instead of transmitting sensitive boot data through the cluster network, the system uses the management network as a secure intermediary path, enabling easy boot device recovery while mitigating security risks by separating data transmission paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments data transmission functions by creating separate networks: the management network handles boot data transmission and control operations, while the cluster network handles storage data operations. This segmentation improves boot device recovery capability while reducing security risks by preventing boot data from traversing the storage network, thereby isolating potential security attack vectors.
3Reliability
If all nodes maintain consistent boot data, then system reliability is improved, but storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manager node maintains a master copy of boot data and proactively distributes it to all target nodes before failures occur. This preliminary action ensures that all nodes have consistent boot data ready for immediate use, improving system reliability without requiring continuous synchronization. The master copy on the manager node serves as the single source of truth, eliminating the need for redundant storage across all nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing unique boot data on each node, the system creates and distributes copies of the same boot data from the manager node to all target nodes. This copying approach ensures consistency across the cluster for reliable boot operations while optimizing storage space, as each node stores only a copy rather than original data, and the manager node maintains the single master copy that can be reused across multiple nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer cluster includes a group of connected computers that work together essentially as a single system. Each computer in the cluster is called a node. Each node has a boot device configured to load an image of an operating system into the node's main memory. Sometimes the boot device of a first node experiences a problem that prevents the operating system from loading. This can affect the entire cluster. Some aspects of the disclosure, however, are directed to operations that determine the problem with the first node's boot device based on a communication sent via a first communications network. Further, the operations can communicate to the first node a copy of boot data from a second node's boot device. The copy of the boot data is sent via a second communications network different from the first communications network. The copy of the boot data can solve the first boot device's problem.