Multi-path Layer Detects Link Issues to Suspend Paths
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Storage systems face performance degradation due to link performance issues like 'flaky' links with intermittent IO failures, often attributed to hardware problems in storage area networks, leading to excessive IO retries and degraded application performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multi-path layer in host devices with an MPIO driver to detect and automatically resolve link performance issues by temporarily suspending affected paths and resuming them upon detection of configuration changes indicative of issue resolution, such as hardware or software changes, thereby reducing downtime and improving IO processing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If paths are temporarily suspended upon detecting link performance issues, then IO failure rate is reduced, but path availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts path status based on real-time configuration change detection. Paths are suspended when link performance issues are detected and automatically resumed when configuration changes indicate issue resolution, making the path availability adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring for configuration changes that indicate resolution of link performance issues. This feedback loop enables automatic path resumption when conditions improve, balancing reliability and productivity
2Stability of the object's composition
If paths remain suspended for a predetermined period, then system stability improves, but IO processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary suspension of paths when link performance issues are detected, preventing further IO failures before they occur. This preliminary action stabilizes the system by avoiding repeated failures on degraded paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of path status from active to suspended based on detected configuration changes. This parameter change allows the system to respond adaptively to link performance conditions, reducing time loss when issues are resolved
3Measurement precision
If manual intervention is required to resume paths, then path resumption accuracy improves, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting configuration changes that indicate issue resolution and autonomously resuming suspended paths. This eliminates the need for manual intervention while maintaining accurate resumption decisions based on detected configuration states
Data Source
AI summary
At least one processing device is configured to control delivery of input-output (IO) operations from a host device to a storage system over selected ones of a plurality of paths through a network. The at least one processing device is further configured to designate one or more of the paths as being associated with a link performance issue, to temporarily suspend utilization of the one or more designated paths for delivery of IO operations from the host device to the storage system, to detect a configuration change that is indicative of potential resolution of the link performance issue, and to resume utilization of the one or more designated paths responsive to the detected configuration change. The at least one processing device illustratively comprises a multi-path input-output (MPIO) driver of the host device.