Container Storage Routing by Node-Local Accessibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face inefficiencies in managing storage operations due to redundant processes performed by both higher and lower level controllers, leading to increased latency and reduced reliability, particularly in flash-based storage systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a direct-mapped flash storage system where higher level processes initiate and control storage operations directly on flash drives without address translation by lower level controllers, offloading device management responsibilities to the operating system, and utilizing non-volatile RAM for quick data buffering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If both higher level and lower level controllers perform storage management operations, then storage operations can be initiated from multiple levels, but redundant processes increase latency and reduce reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the address translation function from the lower level controller and relocates it to the higher level controller. This eliminates the redundant address translation process that occurred at both levels, reducing latency while maintaining the ability to initiate storage operations from the higher level controller directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The higher level controller acts as an intermediary that receives storage operations from the host, performs address translation, and directly manages the flash drives. This eliminates the need for the lower level controller to perform separate address translation, reducing redundancy while maintaining system versatility.
2Ease of operation
If lower level controllers perform address translation, then device management is distributed, but redundant address translation increases latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the address translation function into the higher level controller, combining the host interface management and address translation capabilities in a single component. This eliminates the sequential address translation processes at both higher and lower level controllers, significantly reducing storage operation latency.
3Productivity
If higher level controllers directly manage flash drives, then write operations are reduced, but device management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The higher level controller directly manages the flash drives without requiring intervention from the lower level controller. This self-service approach allows the higher level controller to optimize write operations by performing address translation and managing flash drive operations in a single integrated process, reducing unnecessary write operations while the operating system handles the complexity of device management.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, storage operation routing in a container system may include receiving, by a container storage system executing on a node within a container system, a storage operation configured to be performed with respect to a storage resource; determining whether the storage resource is locally accessible at the node; and routing the storage operation based on the determining of whether the storage resource is locally accessible at the node. For example, the routing may be performed such that when the storage resource is not locally accessible at the node, the routing is by way of both a kernel space and a user space of the node, and when the storage resource is locally accessible at the node, the routing is contained within the kernel space of the node. Corresponding methods, systems, and products are disclosed.