Edge Storage API Control for Low-Latency Flash Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage systems face inefficiencies in managing data storage and retrieval, particularly in flash-based storage systems, due to unnecessary write operations and lack of direct control by the operating system, leading to reduced reliability and increased latency.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a direct-mapped flash storage system where the operating system directly addresses data blocks without translation by storage controllers, offloading device management tasks, and utilizing non-volatile RAM for quick data buffering to enhance reliability and reduce latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If storage controllers translate data block addresses, then data retrieval is possible through abstraction, but latency increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage system reliabilityVSAvoiddata retrieval latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the address translation function from the storage controller and places it directly in the operating system. This removes the intermediate translation layer that causes latency and potential failure points, allowing the OS to directly address flash memory blocks without controller intervention for address mapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a non-volatile RAM buffer as an intermediary between the operating system and flash storage. This buffer absorbs write operations and manages data flow, reducing the burden on the flash storage system and improving overall reliability while maintaining fast access paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If storage controllers manage device tasks, then device operations are coordinated, but system efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage system efficiencyVSAvoidcontroller management overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the operating system to directly manage flash storage operations without relying on storage controllers for task coordination. The OS handles address mapping, data buffering, and write management itself, eliminating the need for complex controller-mediated device management and improving system efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If redundant write operations are performed, then data reliability is improved through verification, but storage performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata write reliabilityVSAvoidstorage write performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs write operations to the non-volatile RAM buffer first, before committing to flash storage. This preliminary action allows data to be staged and verified in a faster medium, reducing the performance impact of redundant write operations while maintaining reliability through the buffer's verification capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12585401B2Cloud-based storage management of edge devices

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

In a particular embodiment, a storage service agent on an edge device is configured to access a particular set of storage system application programming interfaces (APIs) of at least one storage system, where the storage service agent communicatively coupled to a cloud-based storage service. The storage service agent invokes one or more storage system APIs of the particular set of storage system APIs in response to a control message from the cloud-based storage service.