Multicast Data Mirroring for Storage Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage networks face challenges in efficiently managing data redundancy and availability, particularly in ensuring continuous data access and redundancy across synchronous and asynchronous storage targets within a multicast storage network.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multicast data mirroring method that defines a multicast group within a local area network, including a synchronous storage target and asynchronous storage targets, where data is written to synchronous targets and multicast to asynchronous targets, and in case of unavailability, the available synchronous target is synchronized with an asynchronous target, promoting it to the synchronous group for redundancy and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is stored only on synchronous storage targets, then data consistency is maintained, but system availability decreases when synchronous targets become unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the mirroring parameter from synchronous to asynchronous based on operational needs. During normal operation, data is mirrored synchronously to maintain consistency. When a synchronous target becomes unavailable, the system switches to asynchronous mirroring mode, allowing the initiator to continue operations while data is replicated to standby targets in the background, thus maintaining system availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirroring mode is made dynamic rather than static. The system can transition between synchronous and asynchronous mirroring modes depending on the availability of storage targets. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize between data consistency (synchronous mode) and system availability (asynchronous mode) based on real-time conditions.
2Reliability
If multiple synchronous storage targets are used, then data redundancy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage target group is segmented into different roles: primary synchronous targets for active data mirroring and asynchronous standby targets for backup. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data redundancy through multiple targets while simplifying management by assigning different mirroring modes to different target groups, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Asynchronous storage targets act as intermediaries or standby buffers. When synchronous targets are unavailable, these intermediary targets can temporarily accept data or serve as fallback options, simplifying the failover process and reducing the complexity of direct synchronous target management.
3Productivity
If asynchronous storage targets are included in the multicast group, then system availability is improved, but data consistency between synchronous and asynchronous targets becomes more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
Asynchronous storage targets are pre-configured as standby targets within the multicast group before any failure occurs. This preliminary preparation ensures that when a synchronous target becomes unavailable, the asynchronous targets are already in position to receive data and take over, maintaining system availability while a consistency reconciliation process is initiated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where asynchronous storage targets report their data status and synchronization state to the initiator. This feedback allows the system to monitor and maintain data consistency between synchronous and asynchronous targets, ensuring that the asynchronous targets remain valid backups while preserving system availability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and computer program product for a multicast data mirroring method including defining a multicast group within a local area network. The multicast group includes a first synchronous storage target and one or more asynchronous storage targets. The synchronous storage target is a member of a synchronously-mirrored storage group including at least a second synchronous storage target and a storage initiator device. A write request for storing a data segment within the synchronously-mirrored storage group is received on the storage initiator device. The data segment is written to the first synchronous storage target and the second synchronous storage target. The data segment is multicast to the asynchronous storage targets included within the multicast group.