Concatenating Disparate RAID Arrays for Mixed Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RAID systems are inflexible and do not fully utilize the capacity of mixed-type storage devices, often requiring manual data management between different types of storage devices, such as SSDs and HDDs, due to their disparate operational characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that concatenate a first RAID with a second RAID, using a concatenation module to combine them into a top-level RAID with disparate operational characteristics, and a direction module to manage storage operations based on a direction policy, including an abstraction module for address mapping and management modules for data promotion and demotion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If mixed-type storage devices (SSD and HDD) are used in RAID to reduce cost, then storage capacity is improved, but flexibility and capacity utilization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines SSD RAID and HDD RAID into a single concatenated RAID volume with a unified logical address space. The concatenation module merges two separate RAID arrays with different operational characteristics into one logical unit, allowing the system to utilize both fast SSD storage and high-capacity HDD storage while presenting a single interface to the operating system. This resolves the flexibility issue by eliminating the need for manual data management between different storage types.
2Quantity of substance
If mixed-type storage devices are used in RAID to reduce cost, then storage capacity is improved, but capacity utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic data placement and movement between SSD and HDD storage based on usage patterns. The direction module and management module continuously monitor data access characteristics and automatically migrate data between storage types - placing frequently accessed data on SSD for high performance and less frequently accessed data on HDD for cost efficiency. This dynamic adaptation maximizes capacity utilization across the entire storage system.
3Ease of operation
If manual data management is implemented between different storage devices, then data control is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automation where the storage system automatically manages data placement, movement, and optimization without user intervention. The direction module, abstraction module, and management module work together to automatically direct storage operations, map addresses, and manage data between SSD and HDD based on predefined policies and real-time conditions. This eliminates manual data management tasks while maintaining optimal data control, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are disclosed for concatenating a first RAID and a second RAID. The apparatus includes a concatenation module and a direction module. The concatenation module concatenates a first Redundant Array of Independent Disks (“RAID”) with a second RAID into a top-level RAID. The first RAID and the second RAID may have disparate operational characteristics. The direction module directs storage operations to one of the first RAID and the second RAID based on a direction policy.