External Storage Interface Offloading I/O Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data storage systems rely on external networks and directors for I/O operations, leading to performance issues and resource consumption, and there is a need for improved I/O performance, reduced resource consumption, and enhanced security in data storage networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Storage System Interface (SSI) that connects directly to the internal fabric of a storage system, allowing host systems to perform I/O operations independently of external networks and directors, using RDMA and metadata management to optimize data access and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If external networks and directors are used for I/O operations, then connectivity and data services are provided, but I/O performance is degraded and resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the I/O processing functionality from the storage system directors and relocates it to host system interface components. This allows I/O operations to be processed externally, reducing the processing burden on storage system directors and improving overall I/O performance without requiring changes to the storage system hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an interface component as an intermediary between the host system and storage system. This interface component includes I/O processing logic that handles I/O operations, acting as a mediator that offloads processing from both the host and storage system, thereby improving performance and reducing resource consumption.
2Productivity
If directors with processing cores are used to process I/O operations, then data services are performed, but storage system resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the host system to service its own I/O requests through the interface component that resides externally. The I/O processing logic in the interface component handles data services independently, allowing the storage system to conserve its processing resources while maintaining full data service functionality.
3Reliability
If traditional I/O paths are used through directors, then connectivity is established, but security is reduced and performance is non-deterministic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the I/O path into distinct functional components: the interface component in the host system for I/O processing, and the storage system for data storage. This segmentation allows for more controlled and secure data access paths, improving reliability and security while maintaining connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system interface (SSI) located externally to a data storage system serves as an interface between a host system and the data storage system. The SSI may be part of the host system, and in some embodiments may be a separate and discrete component from the remainder of the host system, physically connected to the remainder of the host system by one or more buses that connect periphery devices to the remainder of the host system. The SSI may be physically connected directly to the internal fabric of the data storage system, and may be implemented on a card or chipset physically connected to the remainder of a host system by a PCIe bus. The SSI may provide functionality traditionally provided on data storage systems, enabling at least some I/O processing to be offloaded from data storage systems to hosts that include SSIs.