Database Node Role Assignment for Redundancy and Distribution

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In scale-out type database systems, maintaining redundancy and ensuring even data distribution among nodes is challenging, leading to potential system failures and decreased performance due to unequal data placement and traffic distribution, which requires inefficient data relocation operations that disrupt services.

Innovation Solution

A database system with a management device that dynamically assigns roles to nodes as owner, backup, or candidate nodes, using tables to manage data distribution and redundancy, allowing for seamless failover and addition of nodes without service disruption through short-term and long-term synchronization processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is distributed evenly among database nodes, then access throughput and response time are enhanced, but system reliability decreases when node failures occur due to reduced redundancy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess throughputVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into multiple partitions and distributes them across different database nodes. Each partition can be independently managed with its own owner node and backup node, allowing even data distribution while maintaining redundancy through separate backup mechanisms for each segment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the redundancy parameter by allowing flexible configuration of backup nodes for each partition. When node failures occur, the system can adjust the number and distribution of backup nodes to maintain appropriate redundancy levels while preserving even data distribution across the cluster

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If redundancy is maintained through replication, then system reliability is improved, but data distribution becomes uneven among nodes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidaccess throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the database into multiple partitions, each with dedicated owner and backup nodes. This segmentation allows redundancy to be maintained at the partition level rather than globally, preventing uneven data distribution while preserving system reliability through localized backup mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces partition-level management as an intermediary between global redundancy requirements and even data distribution. Each partition acts as an independent unit with its own redundancy management, allowing the system to maintain reliability without creating hotspots or uneven traffic distribution across nodes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If data relocation is performed to restore redundancy after node failure, then system reliability is restored, but service disruption occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveredundancy restorationVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring backup nodes for each partition before failures occur. When node failures happen, the pre-established backup relationships allow immediate failover without requiring data relocation, thus restoring redundancy while maintaining service continuity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous data synchronization between owner nodes and backup nodes through ongoing replication processes. This continuous action ensures that backup nodes always have up-to-date data, allowing seamless failover and redundancy restoration without service disruption when failures occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Productivity

If the number of database nodes is increased, then scale-out capability and performance are enhanced, but data distribution becomes uneven and management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveperformanceVSAvoidmanagement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service mechanisms where the database management system automatically handles data distribution, partition assignment, and backup node selection when new nodes are added. This automated self-service approach enables scale-out capability while minimizing management complexity by eliminating manual intervention requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10162875B2Database system including a plurality of nodes

Publication Date: 2018.12.25 TOSHIBA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORP

AI summary

According to an embodiment, database system includes nodes that communicate with each other to elect one node among the nodes, serving as a management device. The management device includes first and second assigning units. Depending on change in state of each node, the first assigning unit assigns a first node storing data pieces and receiving an access request to the data pieces, and assigns a second node storing the data pieces and serving as a backup node for the first node, and instructs each node to perform operations according to assignment. Depending on the state of nodes and a change in assignment state of the first and second nodes, the second assigning unit assigns a third node as a candidate node to serve as the first or second node, and instructs each node to make preparation for causing the third node to operate as the first or second node.