Cloud Block Storage Performance Profiling via Latency Shaping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing environments face challenges in maintaining consistent performance of block storage volumes due to factors like network distance and varying physical hardware configurations, leading to inconsistent user experiences.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of performance profiles that establish desired performance metrics for block storage volumes, allowing devices to monitor and shape subsequent performance to match these profiles, thereby ensuring consistent performance across different hardware configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cloud service providers use hardware of different revisions or manufacturers to provide block storage volumes, then hardware flexibility and scalability are improved, but performance consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the storage volume that abstracts the physical hardware differences. The virtual volume presents a standardized interface to the user while the underlying physical hardware can vary, thus copying the essential storage functionality while hiding hardware variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between the user and the physical storage hardware. This intermediary manages the mapping between virtual volumes and physical storage devices, ensuring consistent performance regardless of the underlying hardware configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If cloud service providers allow dynamic re-allocation of hardware according to changing user needs, then service adaptability is improved, but performance stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation through virtualization, where virtual storage volumes can be dynamically assigned to different physical hardware resources based on user needs while maintaining stable performance characteristics through the virtualization abstraction layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual storage volume serves as a universal interface that can map to multiple different types of physical storage devices. This multi-functionality allows the same virtual volume to be served by different hardware configurations while maintaining consistent performance for the user.
3Ease of manufacture
If cloud service providers update or alter underlying hardware periodically, then system modernization is improved, but user experience consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a virtualization framework in advance that anticipates hardware changes. By pre-defining virtual volume interfaces and performance characteristics, the system can undergo hardware updates without affecting user experience, as the virtual layer absorbs the changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the performance-critical interface from the physical hardware and places it in the virtualization layer. This separation allows hardware to be updated independently while the extracted virtual interface maintains consistent performance characteristics for users.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for providing a consistent experience for users of cloud-based block storage volumes. While cloud storage aims to remove hardware considerations for an end user's experience, block storage performance can nevertheless vary according to the underlying hardware used to support a volume or the specific network location of that hardware. Embodiments of the present disclosure address that inconsistent performance by associating a volume with a performance profile that sets a target latency for the volume. A storage client can then monitor observed latency for the volume and inject synthetic latency into input/output operations for the volume as calculated via a proportional-integral-derivative algorithm, such that the observed latency matches the target within the performance profile. This enables the cloud provider to vary physical hardware or network configurations without effect on block storage performance from the point of view of an end user.