HDD Spin-Up Scheduling via Power-Aware Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-storage computer systems with multiple hard disk drives (HDDs) face inefficiencies due to over-provisioning of power supplies, leading to wasted energy and increased costs, as most HDDs are spun up simultaneously, causing power supplies to operate far from their maximum capacity.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for scheduling spin-up operations of HDDs based on available power, selecting HDDs to spin up based on power requirements, using an available-power monitor to determine the system's power consumption and maximum power, and a scheduler to prioritize and schedule the spin-up of HDDs to optimize power usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If power supply capacity is increased to support simultaneous spin-up of all HDDs, then spin-up capability is improved, but cost and energy efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespin-up capabilityVSAvoidenergy efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of spin-up requirements by monitoring I/O queue depth and predicting future spin-up needs before they occur. This allows the power supply to be sized for actual needs rather than worst-case simultaneous spin-up, reducing over-provisioning while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply capacity is dynamically adjusted through voltage scaling and frequency modulation based on real-time system conditions. The controller monitors power consumption and I/O patterns, dynamically changing power delivery to match actual spin-up requirements rather than providing fixed maximum capacity, thereby improving energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If power supply capacity is increased to support simultaneous spin-up of all HDDs, then spin-up capability is improved, but cost deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespin-up capabilityVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of spin-up requirements by monitoring I/O queue depth and predicting future spin-up needs before they occur. This allows the power supply to be sized for actual needs rather than worst-case simultaneous spin-up, reducing over-provisioning while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply capacity is dynamically adjusted through voltage scaling and frequency modulation based on real-time system conditions. The controller monitors power consumption and I/O patterns, dynamically changing power delivery to match actual spin-up requirements rather than providing fixed maximum capacity, thereby improving energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If power supply capacity is increased to support simultaneous spin-up of all HDDs, then spin-up capability is improved, but power supply size and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespin-up capabilityVSAvoidpower supply weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of spin-up requirements by monitoring I/O queue depth and predicting future spin-up needs before they occur. This allows the power supply to be sized for actual needs rather than worst-case simultaneous spin-up, reducing over-provisioning while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply capacity is dynamically adjusted through voltage scaling and frequency modulation based on real-time system conditions. The controller monitors power consumption and I/O patterns, dynamically changing power delivery to match actual spin-up requirements rather than providing fixed maximum capacity, thereby improving energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Speed

If all HDDs are spun up simultaneously, then access speed is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess speedVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of spin-up requirements by monitoring I/O queue depth and predicting future spin-up needs before they occur. This allows the power supply to be sized for actual needs rather than worst-case simultaneous spin-up, reducing over-provisioning while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The power supply capacity is dynamically adjusted through voltage scaling and frequency modulation based on real-time system conditions. The controller monitors power consumption and I/O patterns, dynamically changing power delivery to match actual spin-up requirements rather than providing fixed maximum capacity, thereby improving energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8028126B2Scheduling spin-up operations for a set of hard disk drives
Publication Date: 2011.09.27 ORACLE AMERICAN INC
  • US8028126B2 patent drawing
  • US8028126B2 patent drawing
  • US8028126B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system for scheduling spin-up operations for a set of hard disk drives (HDDs) in a computer system. During operation, the system determines an available power of the computer system. Next, one or more HDDs are selected from the set of HDDs to be spun-up based on the available power and the power required to spin up each HDD. Then, spin-up operations are scheduled for the selected HDDs.