Direct Client Storage Boot Bypassing Management Server
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In desktop streaming environments, the reliance on management servers for maintaining connections between clients and storage arrays leads to inefficiencies and potential failures, where a management server crash can cause all clients to fail, and ties up valuable resources.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where client devices can boot directly from a storage device and establish direct communication with it, bypassing the management server, allowing data communication only between the client and storage device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the management server maintains the connection between clients and the storage array, then the clients can access the storage array, but the management server resources are tied up and all clients fail if the management server crashes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection path into two phases: initial connection establishment through the management server, and subsequent direct client-to-storage array connection. This segmentation allows the management server to perform its provisioning function once and then be excluded from the data path, resolving the contradiction between needing server management and avoiding server dependency for continuous access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the management server from the continuous data path between clients and storage arrays. The management server establishes initial connections and provisioning information exchange, then the clients establish direct connections to the storage array for all subsequent data operations. This extraction eliminates the management server dependency while preserving its useful provisioning function.
2Ease of operation
If the management server maintains the connection between clients and the storage array, then client access is managed centrally, but valuable server resources are tied up in maintaining these connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the management server perform all necessary connection establishment and provisioning information exchange before the client needs continuous access to the storage array. Once the client has the necessary information and direct connection capability, the management server's role is complete for that client, freeing its resources for other tasks while maintaining centralized management during the initial phase.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all clients rely on the management server to maintain connection to the storage array, then centralized control is achieved, but a single point of failure is created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic connection model where clients transition from managed connections through the management server to direct independent connections with the storage array. This dynamic state change allows the system to achieve centralized control during initial provisioning while eliminating the single point of failure during operational phases, as clients can independently access storage even if the management server becomes unavailable.
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system (IHS) is provided in the context of providing a desktop image. The IHS may include a storage device and a client device. The IHS may also include a management server configured to establish communication between the storage device and the client device. In addition, the client device may be configured to boot directly from the storage device and wherein the data communication occurs only between the storage device and the client device.