Disk Access Antiblocking System for Priority-Based Load Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Background processes, such as anti-virus applications, often monopolize disk access, leading to significant slowdowns in other applications due to the nature of hard disk drive access, where only one application can request access at a time, causing annoyance to users.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that classify processes as high and low priority, monitor storage device access, and regulate low-priority process access based on high-priority activity, using a counter to track access and reroute or suspend low-priority processes when high-priority activity is high.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If background processes are allowed to access the disk drive continuously, then they can complete their tasks (e.g., virus scanning, backup), but other applications experience substantial slowdown due to disk access monopolization
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring of disk access patterns and dynamically adjusts background process execution in periodic intervals. The disk access monitor continuously tracks access requests and periodically determines whether to allow or suspend background process access based on current system load conditions, creating a rhythmic pattern of access control that balances both competing needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the behavior of background processes based on real-time disk access conditions. Rather than using static access permissions, the disk access monitor continuously adapts the access level of background processes according to the current activity of foreground applications, making the system flexible and responsive to changing conditions.
2Speed
If disk access is restricted for background processes to improve application speed, then application performance improves, but background tasks cannot complete their functions
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a feedback mechanism where the disk access monitor continuously observes disk access patterns and system performance, then uses this information to adjust background process access permissions. The monitor receives feedback about foreground application performance and accordingly modulates background process access to maintain optimal system responsiveness while ensuring task completion.
Solution Approach 2:
The background processes are equipped with self-regulating capabilities through the disk access monitor, which automatically adjusts their own access permissions based on system conditions. The system serves itself by autonomously managing the trade-off between background task execution and foreground application performance without requiring manual intervention.
3Measurement precision
If a counter mechanism is used to track disk access, then access regulation becomes more precise, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disk access monitor serves as an intermediary component that mediates between background processes and the disk drive. It introduces a counter mechanism to track access requests and responses, using this intermediate layer to precisely measure disk access activity without requiring complex modifications to the core operating system or disk drive hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and computer program product that manage storage device load, including (a) classifying processes that access a storage device as high priority and low priority; (b) monitoring access activity to the storage device by the high priority processes; and (c) regulating the access activity of the low priority processes based on the access activity of the high priority processes. A counter can be used to monitor the access activity of the high priority processes, so that a request to the storage device increases the counter and a response from the storage device decreases the counter, and access to the storage device for the low priority processes when the counter is zero. The low priority processes can be backup processes, security system processes, anti-virus processes, compression processes, archive systems, and applications that monitor storage device access.