Multipathing Filter Driver for Disk Geometry Update Latency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional multipathing software in data storage systems experiences high latency and inefficiency in updating disk geometry across multiple paths, leading to performance issues and increased customer support costs due to the need for individual updates on each disk device, which can result in data corruption if not properly synchronized.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a filter driver layer below the disk driver layer intercepts and broadcasts disk geometry update requests, allowing a single request to be sent to the storage array, reducing redundant operations and ensuring simultaneous updates across all aggregated disk devices, thereby minimizing latency and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual disk geometry updates are sent to each disk device in a multipathing environment, then each device can be updated, but the latency increases and performance deteriorates due to redundant operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual disk geometry update requests into a single unified update operation. The filter driver layer intercepts geometry updates at the multipathing device level and propagates them simultaneously to all aggregated disk devices, eliminating redundant update operations while ensuring all devices receive the same geometry information.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter driver layer acts as an intermediary between the multipathing device and individual disk devices. It captures geometry updates at the intermediary level and distributes them to all underlying disk devices, preventing the need for multiple separate update operations and reducing overall update latency.
2Reliability
If disk geometry updates are propagated to multiple disk devices, then all paths are updated, but the complexity of managing synchronized updates across multiple devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter driver layer serves as a centralized intermediary that manages the complexity of synchronized updates. It receives a single geometry update at the multipathing device level and automatically propagates it to all aggregated disk devices, ensuring data consistency without requiring complex synchronization logic at each device level.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter driver layer provides a universal update mechanism that handles geometry updates for multiple disk devices through a single interface. This multi-functional approach allows the same update operation to be applied consistently across all devices, simplifying the management of data consistency.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional multipathing software updates disk geometry, then updates can be applied, but performance issues arise due to high latency in the update process
Solution Approach 1:
The filter driver layer is installed and configured in advance within the multipathing software architecture, positioned to intercept geometry updates before they reach individual disk devices. This preliminary setup enables efficient update propagation without requiring changes to the underlying disk devices or update procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical approach of sending separate update commands to each disk device with a software-based filter driver mechanism. This substitution allows for more efficient update propagation by utilizing the existing multipathing device update infrastructure and automatically distributing updates to all aggregated devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for updating disk geometry in a multipathing environment. The method includes receiving a disk geometry update for a logical unit on a storage array accessible via a multipathing device in the multipathing environment. The method then includes translating the disk geometry update for the logical unit for each respective disk device aggregated by the multipathing device. Requests for the logical unit then may be issued according to the updated geometry.