Storage Device Key Sharing for Quorum Boot After Drive Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face inefficiencies in managing data storage and retrieval, particularly in flash-based systems, due to the need for redundant write operations and lack of direct control by the operating system over storage processes, leading to reduced reliability and increased overhead.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a direct-mapped flash storage system where the operating system directly addresses data blocks without translation by storage controllers, offloading device management tasks, and utilizing zoned storage devices with dynamic zone management to optimize data allocation and reduce redundant operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If storage controllers translate and manage data blocks, then data storage and retrieval is simplified, but system overhead increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the translation and management functions from storage controllers and transfers them directly to the operating system. The OS now directly addresses flash memory devices without controller intervention, eliminating the intermediary that causes reliability issues while maintaining operational simplicity through direct OS control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new intermediary layer in the form of OS-level translation layers that handle data block management. Instead of controller-mediated translation, the OS directly translates and manages data blocks, reducing overhead and improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation through structured OS-level abstractions.
2Reliability
If redundant write operations are performed for data protection, then reliability improves, but write performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by performing write operations directly to the target location in the OS address space without requiring redundant controller-mediated writes. Data is written once to the correct location through direct OS addressing, eliminating redundant write operations while maintaining data protection through OS-level management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of write operation structure by eliminating the controller translation step. Writes go directly from OS to storage device in the correct location, changing the write path from multi-step controller-mediated operations to direct OS-addressed operations, improving both reliability and performance.
3Ease of operation
If storage controllers manage data allocation, then data organization is simplified, but system overhead and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts data allocation and organization functions from storage controllers and implements them directly in the operating system. The OS manages data block allocation, mapping, and organization without controller intervention, reducing device complexity and overhead while maintaining organizational simplicity through OS-level abstractions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the operating system universal by giving it direct control over multiple flash memory devices and data block management. The OS handles translation, allocation, and organization across all storage devices, eliminating the need for device-specific controller logic and reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Sharing encryption information amongst storage devices in a storage system, including: detecting that one or more source storage devices has been designated for removal from the storage system; and responsive to detecting that the source storage devices have been designated for removal from the storage system: encrypting a device key for each remaining storage device using a master secret to generate an encrypted device key for each remaining storage device; generating, for each write group, a first plurality of shares from the master secret; creating, from each share of the first plurality of shares, a second plurality of shares equal to a minimum number of the remaining storage devices required from each write group for a quorum to boot the storage system; and storing, for each remaining storage device, the encrypted device key and a respective share of the second plurality of shares in the remaining storage devices.