Cloud Storage Control Layer Segmentation for Mapping Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud storage systems face challenges in efficiently managing and mapping logical addresses to physical addresses across multiple storage systems, leading to complexities in data access and storage management.
Innovation Solution
A cloud storage arrangement with a control layer that uses mapping structures, such as ordered tree data structures, to manage logical block addresses and physical disk block addresses, enabling transparent access to cloud storage resources with minimized metadata and scalable management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If cloud storage systems use traditional mapping methods across multiple storage systems, then data storage capacity is increased, but mapping complexity and metadata requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mapping function by introducing separate control layers for each storage system. Each control layer maintains its own mapping structure for its local physical storage devices, eliminating the need for a single complex global mapping structure. This segmentation allows each storage system to independently manage its own logical-to-physical address mapping, reducing overall mapping complexity while maintaining multi-system storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces control layers as intermediary components between the logical address space and physical storage devices. These control layers act as mediators that handle address translation locally within each storage system, eliminating the need for complex cross-system mapping operations. The control layers communicate with each other through standardized interfaces, simplifying the overall mapping architecture.
2Ease of operation
If cloud storage systems implement centralized control across multiple storage systems, then data management is simplified, but access time and system bottlenecks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments control functions by creating separate control layers for each storage system rather than using a single centralized control entity. Each control layer independently manages its local storage resources, enabling parallel processing of data access requests and eliminating the bottleneck effect of centralized control. This segmentation maintains operational simplicity through standardized interfaces while significantly reducing access time.
3Measurement precision
If cloud storage systems use extensive metadata structures for mapping, then address translation accuracy is improved, but storage overhead and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the metadata storage by allocating separate mapping structures to each control layer and storage system. Each control layer maintains compact mapping metadata only for its local physical devices, eliminating the need for extensive global metadata structures. This segmentation maintains precise address translation within each local system while dramatically reducing overall metadata overhead through distributed, localized metadata management.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a storage arrangement and a method of operating thereof. The storage arrangement comprises a first storage system and one or more second storage systems operatively coupled to the first storage system. First control layer is operable to handle a first logical address space comprising a first logical group characterized by a plurality of logical block addresses; first control layer comprises a first mapping module handling a first mapping structure associated with first logical group. Each second control layer comprises, respectively, a second mapping module handling a second mapping structure associated with first logical group. The first mapping structure is configured to provide mapping between logical addresses related to first logical group and corresponding addresses related to first physical address spaces, and/or to point to respective second mapping structure configured to provide mapping between these logical addresses and corresponding addresses related to respective second physical address spaces.