Cache Key Invalidation via Metadata Hierarchy Root Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cache systems, invalidating a large number of keys is time-consuming and can degrade system performance, as conventional key-value index organizations require scanning through a high percentage of keys, leading to slow key invalidation and blocking of other requests.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a metadata hierarchy that allows for the identification and invalidation of a 'root node' common to multiple keys, reducing the need to scan all keys and enabling faster key invalidation by targeting the root node within the hierarchy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional key-value index organization is used for cache invalidation, then data storage and retrieval functionality is maintained, but key invalidation becomes time-consuming and degrades system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key index into a hierarchical structure with root nodes and child nodes. Instead of scanning all keys in the traditional flat index, the system segments the invalidation process by targeting specific root nodes that correspond to the keys being invalidated. This segmentation allows the system to efficiently locate and invalidate only the relevant keys without scanning the entire index, significantly reducing invalidation time and improving system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the traditional flat key-value index organization. By organizing keys into a tree structure with root nodes and child nodes, the system adds a dimensional layer that enables more efficient navigation and invalidation. This dimensional change allows the system to traverse only the necessary portions of the index hierarchy during invalidation operations, reducing the time complexity from O(n) to O(log n) or better, where n is the total number of keys.
2Reliability
If all keys are scanned for invalidation in conventional systems, then complete key invalidation is achieved, but other requests are blocked and system response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key index into hierarchical root nodes and child nodes, allowing the system to target and invalidate only the specific root nodes corresponding to the keys being invalidated. This segmentation ensures that other requests can proceed concurrently without being blocked by the invalidation process, as the system can perform invalidation operations in parallel or without blocking other request handling paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing the hierarchical index structure with root nodes and child nodes before invalidation operations are needed. This pre-organized structure allows the system to quickly navigate and invalidate keys without performing extensive scans during request processing, thereby reducing request processing time while maintaining invalidation completeness.
3Device complexity
If traditional key-value index is used, then simple data storage is maintained, but key invalidation requires scanning through high percentage of keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flat key-value index into a hierarchical structure with root nodes and child nodes. This segmentation increases the structural complexity slightly but dramatically improves invalidation efficiency by allowing the system to target and invalidate only the relevant root nodes and their associated keys, rather than scanning through a high percentage of all keys in a traditional flat index.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to the index structure, organizing keys into parent-child relationships between root nodes and child nodes. This dimensional change enables more efficient invalidation operations by allowing the system to traverse only the necessary branches of the hierarchy, reducing the number of keys that need to be scanned while maintaining a manageable level of structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed relating to invalidating keys in a cache. In some embodiments, a computer system may implement a cache for a data store, where the cache stores a data set and is organized such that a stored data item of the data set is specified by a corresponding key having one or more portions. The computer system may store metadata for the cache, where the metadata includes nodes organized in a hierarchy. The computer system may receive a request to invalidate one or more keys of the cache, and may invalidate a particular node within the metadata based on a key value corresponding to the request.