Disk Management Device Access Request Redirection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cloud storage systems, if a storage server is shut down, all disks associated with the affected disk management device become inaccessible, leading to data loss and significant operational expenses for data recovery and rebalancing.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced where access requests are redirected from an unavailable first access engine to a second available access engine in another disk management device, ensuring continuous data access and improving system stability by utilizing a network protocol based on NVMe-oF, which assigns controllers to magnetic disks and uses high-speed non-volatile memory engines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a storage server is shut down, then device complexity is reduced, but data accessibility deteriorates and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage serverVSAvoiddata accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage system into multiple independent disk management devices, each with its own access engine. When one storage server is shut down, other disk management devices remain operational and can still access their respective disks through their own access engines, thus maintaining data accessibility while reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The access engine acts as an intermediary between the storage server and the disks. When a storage server is shut down, the access engine can redirect access requests to alternative disk management devices, ensuring continuous data accessibility and preventing complete system failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If access requests are redirected to alternative disk management devices, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidaccess request redirection mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each disk management device is designed with universal functionality to access multiple disks through its access engine. This multi-functionality allows any disk management device to potentially handle access requests for any disk in the system, reducing the need for complex specialized redirection mechanisms while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11662927B2Redirecting access requests between access engines of respective disk management devices

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Embodiments that process data are described. For instance, a method includes receiving, at a first disk management device in a storage system, an access request for accessing data in a plurality of disks associated with the storage system. The method further includes determining whether a first access engine for accessing the plurality of disks in the first disk management device is available. The method further includes redirecting the access request to a second disk management device in the storage system if it is determined that the first access engine is unavailable, wherein a second access engine in the second disk management device is available to access the plurality of disks. By means of this method, effective data access can be performed when an access engine of a disk management device is unavailable, thus realizing a more stable access capability and improving the user experience.