Controller Module Role Determination in Storage Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scale-out-type storage systems require multiple service controllers (SVCs) for reliability, increasing system size and cost, and lack a method to determine which controller module (CM) should manage all others, making it difficult to eliminate SVCs and reduce system size.
Innovation Solution
A storage system configuration where each controller module determines its role based on communication port connections, eliminating the need for SVCs by designating one CM as the master for management and another for monitoring, with failover capabilities to ensure reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two SVCs are included in an FE to improve reliability, then system reliability is improved, but the size of the FE is increased and cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the management function from dedicated SVCs and assigns it to one of the CMs. Specifically, a determination unit in each CM checks connection states to identify which CM should perform management, and that CM then manages all other CMs. This eliminates the need for separate SVC components while maintaining management functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes CMs universal by enabling them to perform both their original control functions and management functions. Each CM is equipped with a determination unit that checks connection states, and the identified management CM can manage all other CMs. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated SVCs while maintaining system reliability through the ability of any CM to potentially become the management CM.
2Reliability
If two SVCs are included in an FE to improve reliability, then system reliability is improved, but the cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the management function from dedicated SVCs and assigns it to one of the CMs. This eliminates the need for separate SVC hardware components, thereby reducing system cost while maintaining the reliability benefits of having a dedicated management function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the management function into the existing CM components. Instead of having separate SVCs, the management functionality is combined with the CMs that already exist in the system. This consolidation reduces component count and cost while maintaining functional separation through software/logical division.
3Device complexity
If one of the CMs is allowed to manage all the CMs to eliminate SVCs, then system size is reduced, but it has been impossible to determine which one of the plurality of CMs needs to be the management CM
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where each CM has a determination unit that checks the connection state with other CMs. Based on this feedback information, each CM can autonomously determine whether it should be the management CM. This automated feedback loop eliminates the difficulty of manually determining which CM should manage others.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables CMs to self-determine their role as management CM through automated connection state checking. Each CM independently evaluates the connection state and determines whether it should perform management functions, eliminating the need for external configuration or manual assignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A first control apparatus includes a first communication port that satisfies, among execution conditions about predetermined management processing, a neighboring port condition about a communication port connected to an execution apparatus that performs the management processing. The first control apparatus satisfies, among the executions conditions, a neighboring apparatus condition about a neighboring apparatus that neighbors the execution apparatus. A second control apparatus includes a second communication port that satisfies, among the execution conditions, a connection port condition about a communication port connected to the neighboring apparatus. The second control apparatus satisfies, among the execution conditions, an execution apparatus condition about the execution apparatus. The first and second communication ports of the first and second control apparatuses are connected to each other via a communication cable. The second control apparatus performs the management processing when the second communication port is connected to the first communication port.