Storage Host Retirement Rollback Snapshots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of retiring host servers in data centers is time-consuming and error-prone, especially in large environments with hundreds of storage systems and thousands of servers, due to the complexity of freeing associated memory and storage resources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of a rollback snapshot of associations between storage objects and host servers designated for retirement, allowing for the recreation of these associations post-retirement to recover the host server, thereby simplifying the retirement and potential reversal of the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual procedures are used to free memory and storage resources during host server retirement, then resource reclamation can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating snapshots of storage associations and configuring rollback capabilities before the host server is fully retired. This allows the retirement process to proceed confidently while maintaining the ability to reverse if needed, thus improving both speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates copies of the storage association metadata in the form of snapshots. These snapshots serve as backup records that can be used to recreate associations during rollback, eliminating manual reconstruction work and reducing errors while accelerating the retirement process.
2Productivity
If comprehensive storage resource freeing is performed during host retirement, then complete resource reclamation is achieved, but the complexity of managing associations across hundreds of storage systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service through automated rollback capabilities. The storage system itself maintains the ability to restore associations without requiring complex manual intervention, thereby achieving complete resource reclamation while reducing management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces rollback snapshots as an intermediary mechanism between the host retirement process and storage resource management. This intermediary layer automates the complex task of tracking and restoring associations across multiple storage systems, reducing manual complexity while ensuring complete resource reclamation.
3Ease of operation
If host servers are retired without rollback capability, then the retirement process is simpler, but the ability to recover from retirement errors is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies beforehand cushioning by preparing rollback snapshots and recovery mechanisms in advance of potential retirement errors. This cushioning layer protects against retirement mistakes while keeping the retirement process itself simple, as the recovery capability is automatically available without adding operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Rollback snapshots are created by a storage system when host servers are retired. The rollback snapshots include a masking views and information about the storage objects associated with the host servers. Retired host servers can be recovered by using the rollback snapshots to reconstruct masking views and recreate storage objects.