Logical Object Deletion via Block-Level OID Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file systems face challenges in maintaining data consistency and preventing memory leaks during object deletion in the event of a system interruption, as interruptions can leave data structures in an invalid state and require time-consuming consistency checks or increase latency with journaling.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that, upon system restart, identify and complete interrupted delete requests by reading and freeing physical blocks linked to the logical objects using object identifiers stored in those blocks, allowing for idempotent deletion without the need for consistency checks or journaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If consistency checks (fsck, CHKDSK) are performed after system interruption, then file system consistency is restored, but system recovery time and resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by writing the object identifier to each physical block before data is written. This pre-prepared metadata allows the system to quickly identify and recover deleted blocks after interruption without performing time-consuming consistency checks across the entire file system.
2Reliability
If journaling is used to maintain consistency during deletion, then file system consistency is improved, but operation latency increases and additional I/O operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential consistency-maintenance function from the journaling mechanism by storing only the object identifier directly in each physical block. This eliminates the need for separate journal files and additional I/O operations, as the identifier is immediately available in the block itself for recovery purposes.
3Productivity
If traditional deletion methods are used without block-level identification, then deletion speed is maintained, but memory leaks occur when system interruption prevents complete deletion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by embedding the object identifier directly within each physical block. This allows the block to identify itself as belonging to a deleted object during recovery, enabling automatic and complete cleanup without requiring complex external tracking structures that could fail during interruption.
Data Source
AI summary
The presently disclosed subject matter includes a method and system for enabling the deletion of logical objects characterized by an object identifier (OID). Upon restart following a system interruption, one or more logical objects are identified, each object being addressed by an interrupted delete request. For each identified logical object performing a deletion, the deletion including: reading one or more physical blocks stored in a physical storage space, wherein the one or more physical blocks were linked to the identified logical object before the system interruption, each of the physical blocks includes an OID stored therein indicating a logical object currently linked to the respective physical block; obtaining OIDs stored respectively in the one or more physical blocks; and freeing those physical blocks from among the one or more physical blocks, which store an OID identical to the respective OID of the identified logical object.