Distributed Storage Management via Virtual Node Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed storage systems face issues with performance and reliability due to server downtime, maintenance, and network failures, leading to complexity and low performance, such as long latency and low throughput, despite existing solutions.
Innovation Solution
A method for managing distributed storage units by dividing them into multiple sequences and virtual node groups, where data is transferred to a temporary storage unit if not successfully transferred within a predetermined number of retries, and the unusable unit is replaced if it cannot be revived, using a device with a group management unit, data writing and reading units, and a data migration unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing solutions are implemented to handle server downtime and network failures, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the distributed storage system into multiple sequences, where each sequence independently manages a subset of storage servers. This segmentation allows the system to handle failures in one sequence without affecting others, improving reliability while keeping each sequence's complexity manageable. The group management unit divides storage servers into multiple sequences, and each sequence can be independently monitored and managed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a group management unit as an intermediary component that coordinates between application servers and storage servers. This intermediary handles failure detection, data migration, and server replacement operations, centralizing complexity management and improving system reliability without distributing complexity across all system components.
2Reliability
If existing solutions are implemented to handle server downtime and network failures, then system reliability is improved, but performance deteriorates with long latency and low throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by maintaining a pool of standby storage servers that are pre-configured and ready to immediately replace failed servers. When a storage server fails, the system can quickly activate a standby server without needing to provision and configure new hardware, significantly reducing latency and maintaining high throughput while ensuring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic server replacement where standby servers can be dynamically activated to replace failed servers based on real-time system conditions. The group management unit dynamically monitors storage server health and automatically triggers replacement operations, allowing the system to adapt to failures without performance degradation.
3Reliability
If storage servers are divided into multiple sequences and virtual node groups, then system availability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage servers into multiple sequences and further divides them into virtual node groups within each sequence. This multi-level segmentation improves availability by isolating failures to specific groups while maintaining overall system functionality. The group management unit manages this segmentation through standardized interfaces, preventing complexity from escalating.
Solution Approach 2:
The group management unit serves multiple functions: it manages sequence formation, handles failure detection, coordinates data migration, and oversees server replacement operations. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single universal management component, the patent avoids distributing complexity across multiple specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for managing distributed storage servers are described. The storage servers may be selected and divided into multiple sequences and multiple virtual node groups. Each sequence of the multiple sequences may include a predetermined number of storage servers, and each virtual node group may include a set of storage servers of the multiple sequences. Data may be transferred to storage servers of a virtual node group. If the storage servers have instantaneous or temporary malfunctions, the data may be transferred to temporary storage servers and then transferred back the storage servers after being revived. If the storage servers have permanent malfunctions, the data may be transferred to the temporary storage servers. The storage servers may be replaced using the temporary storage servers.