Fingerprint Data Mobility Across Heterogeneous Storage Block Sizes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fingerprint-based data mobility is hindered between storage systems with different block sizes, as hash values differ due to additional data in one system not present in the other, preventing direct fingerprint matching and efficient data transfer.

Innovation Solution

Identifying a common baseline size for block sizes and generating fingerprints from extents of this size, allowing comparison and matching across systems to facilitate data mobility by referencing existing blocks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fingerprint-based data mobility is used between storage systems with different block sizes, then data transfer efficiency is improved, but hash values differ due to additional data in one system not present in the other, preventing direct fingerprint matching

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer efficiencyVSAvoidfingerprint matching accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments blocks into extents of a common baseline size that is compatible with both storage systems. By dividing blocks into standardized extents, the system enables fingerprint matching across heterogeneous storage systems with different block sizes, resolving the contradiction between maintaining data transfer efficiency and ensuring fingerprint matching accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If hash values are computed from blocks of different sizes, then data mobility between heterogeneous systems is enabled, but the hash values will differ even for identical data content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with different block sizesVSAvoiduniqueness of hash values

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of hash computation from operating on complete blocks of different sizes to operating on standardized extents of a common baseline size. This parameter change ensures that identical data content produces identical hash values across heterogeneous storage systems, preserving hash uniqueness while enabling compatibility with different block sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If all block data is sent between storage systems, then data mobility is achieved, but network traffic and associated overhead increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata mobility capabilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic and overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential identifying characteristic (fingerprint/hash value) from each block and transmits only this extracted information between storage systems. By sending only the compact fingerprint instead of complete block data, the system achieves data mobility while dramatically reducing network traffic and associated overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12067273B2Fingerprint-based data mobility across systems with heterogenous block sizes

Publication Date: 2024.08.20 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A technique for achieving data mobility between storage systems having different block sizes includes identifying a baseline size that is common to the block sizes of the storage systems. The technique further includes generating fingerprints of blocks based on extents having the common baseline size. Fingerprint-based data mobility is then achieved by comparing extent-based fingerprints, or combinations thereof, across different storage systems to identify matching data.