Storage Appliance Disk Growth With Pre-Allocated Block Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data management software features designed for physical storage systems are complex to implement in virtual storage systems, particularly when accommodating dynamic resizing of storage capacity using cloud disks, which complicates volume block number mapping and disrupts operations.
Innovation Solution
Pre-allocate a contiguous range of volume block numbers within the file system for each hyperscale disk, allowing seamless growth of underlying disks without disrupting operations, and implement a basic or enhanced disk grow feature responsive to user requests or utilization thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If storage capacity is increased by adding disks to physical storage systems, then storage capacity is improved, but device complexity and operational disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic disk growth capability where hyperscale disks can automatically expand their capacity without manual intervention or system disruption. The system monitors storage utilization and triggers automated disk expansion operations, transforming the static storage architecture into a dynamic one that adapts to changing storage needs in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-provisions and pre-allocates storage capacity on hyperscale disks before it is actually needed. By maintaining a pool of pre-configured storage resources that can be instantly activated, the system avoids the need for complex real-time disk addition operations and reduces operational disruption during capacity expansion.
2Quantity of substance
If storage capacity is increased in virtual storage systems using Pay-As-You-Go model, then storage capacity is improved, but operational disruption and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automated disk growth where the storage system monitors its own capacity utilization and automatically triggers disk expansion operations without requiring manual administrator intervention. This self-managing capability ensures continuous operation and eliminates the risk of operational disruption associated with manual storage expansion processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous storage capacity expansion by implementing background disk growth operations that do not interrupt ongoing workloads. The system maintains continuous monitoring and automated expansion processes that operate alongside existing workloads, ensuring uninterrupted service during capacity increases.
3Adaptability or versatility
If disk capacity is dynamically resized in virtual storage systems, then adaptability is improved, but mapping complexity and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage address space into discrete volume block number (VBN) ranges that are pre-assigned to specific disks. This segmentation creates a modular mapping structure where each disk has a defined VBN range, simplifying the translation process even as dynamic capacity changes occur. The segmented approach allows systematic management of VBN-to-disk mappings during expansion operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages dynamic capacity by changing parameters in the VBN range assignments rather than fundamentally redesigning the mapping architecture. When disks expand, the system updates the VBN range parameters associated with those disks, maintaining the existing mapping structure while adapting to new capacity levels through parameter modification rather than structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for supporting dynamic disk growth within a storage appliance are provided. According to one embodiment, a portion of a logical size of each of multiple disks (e.g., hyperscale disks or Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs)) are provisioned for use by a storage system as backing for respective file system disks. To accommodate growth, block numbers for the file system disks are pre-allocated within a sparse space of a contiguous sequence of block numbers corresponding to a number of blocks represented by the logical size. Metadata is maintained for the file system disks regarding a range of the pre-allocated block numbers that are available for use. Responsive to a triggering condition, the provisioned portion of a disk is increased and subsequently, responsive to detecting a change in a size of the disk by the storage system, a size of the corresponding file system disk is updated within the metadata.