DS Processing Unit Reallocation During Storage Maintenance Operations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dispersed storage networks face challenges in maintaining service level agreements and performance targets due to 'expensive' operations like garbage collection and software updates, which can pause data access requests and undermine response times.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a process balancing module that coordinates DSN access request processing by temporarily suspending requests during such operations and reallocating them to available DS processing units, ensuring sufficient resources are available to maintain performance targets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dispersed storage processing units perform expensive operations like garbage collection and software updates, then system maintenance and reliability are improved, but data access request processing is paused and response times worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem maintenanceVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments processing units into different functional groups: access pools for handling data access requests and maintenance pools for performing expensive operations. This segmentation allows simultaneous execution of access requests and maintenance tasks without mutual interference, resolving the contradiction between system maintenance and response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A process balancing module acts as an intermediary that coordinates between access pools and maintenance pools. It monitors the state of processing units and dynamically allocates access requests to appropriate pools, ensuring that maintenance operations do not block access requests and maintaining both reliability and response time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If processing units are dedicated to data access requests, then response time is improved, but system maintenance operations cannot be performed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidsystem maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Processing units are designed with multi-functionality, capable of operating in different modes: access pool mode for handling data access requests with high priority, and maintenance pool mode for performing expensive operations. The process balancing module dynamically assigns units to different functions based on system state, achieving both fast response times and effective maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic allocation where processing units can transition between access pool and maintenance pool roles based on real-time system conditions. This dynamic behavior allows the system to optimize for response time during high access periods while ensuring maintenance operations are performed when capacity is available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If all processing units are used for expensive operations, then system reliability and maintenance are improved, but data access request processing capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem maintenanceVSAvoiddata access request processing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by creating specialized pools with different characteristics: access pools optimized for fast request processing and maintenance pools optimized for expensive operations. Each pool has tailored resource allocation and processing priorities, ensuring that maintenance operations do not consume resources needed for access requests, thereby maintaining both reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The process balancing module serves as an intermediary that prevents maintenance operations from monopolizing processing units. It monitors the distribution of units between pools and ensures adequate capacity remains in access pools for handling data access requests, balancing reliability improvements with productivity maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11385803B2Cycling out dispersed storage processing units from access pools to perform expensive operations

Publication Date: 2022.07.12 WORKDAY INC

AI summary

A method includes identifying, by a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit of a plurality of DS processing units of a dispersed storage network (DSN), a DSN operation to be performed that will adversely interfere with processing of DSN access requests. The method further includes sending, by the DS processing unit, a suspension request to a process balancing module of the DSN where the suspension request is for temporarily suspending processing of DSN access requests. The method further includes determining, by the process balancing module, whether sufficient processing resources of active DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units are available for processing DSN access requests on behalf of the DS processing unit. When determined that sufficient processing resources are available, the method further includes granting the suspension request, and allocating DSN access requests of the DS processing unit to one ore of the active DS processing units.