Data Migration Offloading Across Storage Arrays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of migrating customer data across different storage arrays and clusters, especially when the source and destination do not support direct data transfer mechanisms, leads to performance issues and increased host CPU overload, limiting the scalability and efficiency of the migration process.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines whether the source and destination belong to the same storage array and cluster, and if they support direct data transfer mechanisms, offloads the copy process to the storage arrays, otherwise executing it on the host device, utilizing SCSI commands and replication technologies to facilitate the migration across different vendor platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the copy process is executed on the host device when source and destination do not support direct data transfer mechanisms, then data migration can be performed across different storage arrays and clusters, but host CPU load increases and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (direct data transfer mechanism between storage arrays) to enable efficient migration. When source and destination storage arrays support this mechanism, data transfers directly between them without involving the host CPU, thus maintaining high performance while achieving cross-array migration compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the migration execution parameter based on capability detection. It first checks whether source and destination support direct data transfer, then decides whether to use array-based direct transfer (high performance) or host-based copy (high compatibility), thus adapting the migration approach to the specific scenario
2Productivity
If the copy process is offloaded to source and destination storage arrays using direct data transfer mechanisms, then host CPU load is reduced and performance improves, but compatibility with all storage configurations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects the migration execution mode based on real-time capability detection. It first checks if source and destination storage arrays support direct data transfer mechanisms, then adaptively chooses between array-based direct transfer (when supported) and host-based copy (when not supported), making the system both high-performance and universally compatible
Solution Approach 2:
The migration system is designed with multi-functionality to handle different scenarios. It can operate in two modes: array-based direct data transfer mode (for high-performance scenarios) and host-based copy mode (for maximum compatibility), thus achieving universal applicability across different storage configurations
3Reliability
If validation operations are performed by the host device to check remote replication partnerships, then migration safety is ensured, but host device overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the validation operation from the host device and transfers it to the storage arrays themselves. The storage arrays perform the validation of remote replication partnerships directly, eliminating the need for the host to conduct these checks, thus reducing host overhead while maintaining migration safety through array-based validation
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program product, and computer system for requesting, by a computing device, information about whether a source and a destination belong to one of a same storage array and storage cluster. Information may be requested about whether the source and the destination support direct data transfer mechanisms between the source and the destination. A copy process may be offloaded from a host computing device to the source and the destination to copy data from the source to the destination when the source and the destination belong to one of a different storage array and storage cluster and when the source and the destination support the direct data transfer mechanisms, and the copy process may be executed on the host device to copy data from the source to the destination when one of the source and the destination does not support the direct data transfer mechanisms.