Cross-Pool Multi-Tier Storage Promotion Manager
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-tier storage systems face inefficiencies due to space constraints in faster tiers, leading to blocked data promotions across storage pools, where candidate extents cannot be moved to available faster tiers in other pools, resulting in an imbalance and suboptimal performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-tier storage system manager that identifies candidate extents blocked by space constraints in one pool and promotes them to available faster tiers in other pools, while maintaining cross-pool mapping for transparent data management and minimizing latency through replication and invalidation techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If data is promoted to faster tiers within the same storage pool, then I/O performance is improved, but space constraints in the faster tier block further promotions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple storage pools into a unified multi-tier storage system where faster tiers from different pools can share capacity. When one pool's faster tier is full, the system can promote data to available space in faster tiers of other pools, effectively combining the capacity of multiple faster tiers to serve promotion needs across the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal faster tier resource pool that can serve multiple storage pools. The faster tiers are no longer dedicated to single pools but can be universally utilized by any pool that has promotion candidates, allowing the same physical storage resources to fulfill multiple functions and serve different data sets.
2Quantity of substance
If data is stored in slower tiers to accommodate more capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but I/O latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into multiple pools, each with its own tier structure. This segmentation allows independent management and optimization of each pool while enabling cross-pool resource sharing. The system can selectively promote data to faster tiers in any pool based on access patterns and availability, rather than being constrained by single-pool boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a cross-pool dimension to the traditional single-pool multi-tier architecture. Instead of only vertical promotion within one pool's tiers, the system enables horizontal promotion across pools. This dimensional change creates additional promotion pathways, allowing data to reach faster tiers through alternative routes when direct pool promotion is blocked.
3Speed
If cross-pool promotion is implemented to utilize available faster tier space, then I/O performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multi-tier storage manager as an intermediary component that handles cross-pool promotion logic. This manager monitors space availability and data access patterns across all pools, making intelligent decisions about which data to promote and where to place it. The intermediary abstracts the complexity from individual pool managers, centralizing the cross-pool coordination function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the storage manager continuously monitors tier space utilization and data access patterns. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts promotion decisions, identifying when faster tiers have available capacity and which candidate data should be promoted. This closed-loop control simplifies management by automating the complex cross-pool coordination based on real-time system state.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are disclosed for a multi-tier storage system. The techniques include identifying a candidate extent stored in a first tier of a first storage pool of a multi-tier storage system (MTSS). The candidate extent is blocked from promotion because of a space constraint on a second tier. The techniques also include identifying a second tier of a second storage pool. The second tier provides faster input-output (I/O) access than the first tier provides. Additionally, the second pool includes available space to store the candidate extent. The techniques further include copying the candidate extent to the second tier of the second storage pool. The techniques also include generating a cross-pool mapping. The cross-pool mapping maps from a first address of the candidate extent in the first tier of the first storage pool to a second address of the copied candidate extent in the second tier of the second storage pool.