Burst Buffer Middleware Appliance for Batch IO Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In parallel computing systems, the high volume of metadata generates numerous small input-output (IO) requests, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies in multi-tier storage environments, particularly as storage tiers become more distant, necessitating a method to aggregate multiple IO operations into batch network operations.

Innovation Solution

A multi-tier storage system employing a burst buffer middleware appliance with an abstract storage interface that provides a list API, enabling batch operations to be processed simultaneously, thereby leveraging emerging storage devices' list APIs and reducing the cost of individual IO operations, and supporting legacy storage devices without list APIs by converting operations into individual requests.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple small IO operations are used for metadata in multi-tier storage environments, then data can be stored and accessed, but the cost and inefficiency increase significantly as storage tiers become more distant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage operation efficiencyVSAvoidround trip cost of IO operations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual IO operations into a single batch operation. The burst buffer appliance collects multiple metadata read/write requests and consolidates them into one batch request that is sent to the persistent storage device in a single network round trip, thereby reducing the cumulative round trip cost and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The burst buffer appliance acts as an intermediary between the parallel computing system and the persistent storage device. It receives individual IO operations from the compute nodes, aggregates them into batches, and sends consolidated requests to the storage device, thereby mediating the communication and reducing the number of round trips required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If batch operations are implemented using a burst buffer appliance, then multiple IO operations can be processed simultaneously reducing round trip cost, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebatch processing capabilityVSAvoidstorage system architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The burst buffer appliance serves as a dedicated intermediary component that handles the complexity of batch aggregation. By isolating the batch processing logic in this separate appliance, the overall system architecture remains modular and manageable, with the burst buffer absorbing the complexity of coordinating multiple IO operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The storage system is segmented into distinct functional components: compute nodes, burst buffer appliances, and persistent storage devices. This segmentation allows the burst buffer to specialize in batch aggregation while storage devices focus on data persistence, distributing complexity across dedicated components rather than concentrating it everywhere.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If list API is used for batch operations, then storage device cost is reduced, but compatibility with legacy storage devices without list API becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage device costVSAvoidstorage device compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The burst buffer appliance acts as a compatibility intermediary between applications using list API and legacy storage devices that do not support it. It translates list API batch operations into individual IO operations that legacy devices can understand, while still providing the performance benefits of batching for compatible storage systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the operation mode based on the storage device capabilities. When a legacy device without list API is detected, the burst buffer changes its behavior to use individual operations instead of batched list operations, allowing the same architecture to adapt to different storage device parameter sets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9940037B1Multi-tier storage environment with burst buffer middleware appliance for batch messaging

Publication Date: 2018.04.10 DELL EMC

AI summary

A multi-tier storage system is provided that employs a burst buffer middleware appliance for batch messaging. An exemplary multi-tier storage system comprises at least first and second storage tiers comprising storage for storing data; and at least one burst buffer appliance, wherein the at least one burst buffer appliance comprises an abstract storage interface comprising a software interface module that communicates with at least one persistent storage device in at least one of the first and second storage tiers, wherein the at least one persistent storage device provides a list application programming interface, wherein the software interface module provides a batch operation comprised of a plurality of individual operations to the at least one persistent storage device using an aggregated message. The batch operation optionally comprises a batch operation for processing metadata. A burst buffer appliance is also provided for implementing the batch messaging techniques described herein.