Distributed Storage Time Stamp Synchronization via Node Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing distributed storage systems face reliability issues in maintaining consistent time stamps across server nodes, particularly when the time server fails or network transmission delays occur, leading to potential data inconsistencies.

Innovation Solution

Each server node in the distributed storage system maintains a local time stamp, periodically sends and updates its time stamp with other nodes, using a check bit and threshold to ensure synchronization, and persists the time stamp locally to maintain continuity during system recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centralized time server is used to broadcast time stamps to other server nodes, then time stamp synchronization is achieved, but system reliability deteriorates when the time server fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime stamp synchronization reliabilityVSAvoidcentralized time server dependency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the centralized time server function into multiple distributed time stamp maintenance modules, one at each server node. Each node independently maintains and broadcasts its own time stamp, eliminating dependency on a single centralized server. This segmentation resolves the reliability issue by ensuring that failure of one node does not affect the entire system's time stamp synchronization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If each server node acquires time from external NTP time server, then time stamp acquisition is simplified, but system autonomy deteriorates and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime stamp acquisition simplicityVSAvoidtime stamp availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables each server node to autonomously maintain and broadcast its own time stamp without relying on external NTP services. Each node serves itself by periodically updating its local time stamp based on received data packages from other nodes, ensuring system autonomy and reliability independent of external time sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If data packages are sent frequently to update time stamps, then time stamp consistency is improved, but network traffic increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime stamp consistencyVSAvoidnetwork transmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic time stamp broadcasting where each server node sends data packages at predetermined intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action maintains time stamp consistency across the distributed system while minimizing network traffic and reducing transmission overhead compared to continuous updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2720501B1Distributed storage system and method of time stamp control therefore.
Publication Date: 2017.08.16 ZTE CORP
  • EP2720501B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2720501B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention relates to a distributed storage system and an implementation method of the time stamp thereof. The method includes: each server node of the distributed storage system maintaining a local time stamp, each server node periodically sending a data package carrying a current time stamp locally maintained to the other server nodes in the distributed storage system, and each server node updating the local time stamp according to the received data package. The distributed storage system includes a plurality of server nodes, and each server node includes a time stamp maintenance module, a time stamp update module and a time stamp storage module. The present invention has very high reliability.