Disk Array Data Migration via Zone-Based Striping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data migration programs for disk arrays, such as RAID0, are inefficient and limited in application, requiring extensive time and not supporting other RAID structures like RAID5, and lack robustness against interruptions like power failures.
Innovation Solution
A data migration method that divides data into zones, optimizes data access by utilizing each write command efficiently, and ensures data safety by storing initial addresses in each disk, allowing for seamless continuation after interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional data migration programs are used for disk arrays, then data can be migrated from one disk to another, but the migration process requires extensive time and has poor performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data migration process into distinct phases: initialization phase where metadata is prepared, execution phase where actual data transfer occurs, and verification phase where integrity is checked. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different data streams and optimizes resource utilization during migration, directly improving migration speed while reducing total completion time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing metadata structures, pre-allocating buffer memory, and pre-validating source and destination disk configurations before the actual data transfer begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates setup delays during the migration process itself, significantly boosting overall productivity.
2Reliability
If data migration is performed without robust interruption handling, then the migration process is simpler, but the system lacks reliability against power failures or interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing metadata structures, pre-allocating buffer memory, and pre-validating source and destination disk configurations before the actual data transfer begins. This preliminary preparation eliminates setup delays during the migration process itself, significantly boosting overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous feedback mechanisms during data migration by monitoring transfer progress, detecting errors in real-time, and dynamically adjusting migration parameters. This feedback loop ensures that any interruptions are immediately detected and handled appropriately, maintaining high reliability without requiring overly complex pre-planned interruption handling mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If data is divided into small units for migration, then data integrity can be better ensured, but the number of access operations increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional single-dimensional sequential data transfer to a multi-dimensional approach by organizing data into a matrix structure with rows and columns. Data stripes are placed at specific matrix positions that correspond to optimal physical locations on destination disks. This dimensional transformation enables parallel access operations while maintaining precise control over data stripe placement, thereby improving both accuracy and efficiency simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the data migration process into distinct phases: initialization phase where metadata is prepared, execution phase where actual data transfer occurs, and verification phase where integrity is checked. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different data streams and optimizes resource utilization during migration, directly improving migration speed while reducing total completion time.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and related apparatus for data migration of a disk array. While striping and migrating data of a source disk of the disk array, data stripes are grouped into different zones; after completely writing data stripes of a given zone to disks of the disk array, data stripes of next zone are written to disks of the disk array and the given zone. Because data stripes of the next zone will be distributed to various disks, only some of the data stripes will overwrite data stripes of the given zone. Therefore, the next zone can contain more data stripes than the given zone while keeping migration integration. In addition, by zones containing increasing number of data stripes, migration progress can be managed with ease and high efficiency achieving better data throughput.