Network Scheduling Module for Storage Virtualization QoS
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Solution Overview
Problem
In networked virtualization environments for storage management, efficiently differentiating between data communications and control communications, and properly assigning priorities to these communications within a converged network is challenging due to their shared infrastructure, which affects resource utilization and service quality.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that involves a network scheduling module to receive and prioritize network communications by identifying whether they are data or control communications, associating Quality of Service (QoS) hints with data communications, and applying rules to categorize them into prioritization class queues based on their QoS policies and control communication prioritization schemes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If data communications and control communications utilize the same network, then resource costs and operational costs are reduced, but differentiation and prioritization of communication types become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network communications into distinct types (data communications and control communications) using packet classification mechanisms. This segmentation allows the system to identify and differentiate communication types based on packet characteristics, enabling selective application of QoS policies to each type while operating over a unified network infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different QoS characteristics to different communication types. Control communications receive high-priority treatment with guaranteed bandwidth and low latency, while data communications receive standard or best-effort service. This local differentiation of service quality enables efficient resource allocation without requiring separate physical networks.
2Reliability
If QoS policies are applied to differentiate communication types, then service quality is improved, but processing overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring QoS policies and classification rules in the network scheduler before communications occur. Packet classification criteria and QoS parameter mappings are established in advance, allowing the system to quickly match incoming packets against predefined rules without performing complex real-time analysis, thereby reducing processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary network scheduler component that sits between the network interface and higher-layer protocols. This intermediary handles all QoS-related processing, including packet classification, policy enforcement, and queue management, isolating the complexity of QoS mechanisms from both the network interface and application layers.
3Productivity
If control communications are prioritized over data communications, then controller VM efficiency is improved, but data communication latency may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic QoS parameter adjustment based on network conditions and communication priorities. The network scheduler dynamically allocates bandwidth and adjusts queue priorities, allowing control communications to receive preferential treatment when necessary while ensuring data communications receive adequate service. This dynamic allocation prevents excessive latency in data communications while maintaining high controller VM efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by providing excessive priority to control communications only when necessary for maintaining system operation. The QoS mechanism ensures control communications receive sufficient bandwidth and priority treatment to maintain controller VM efficiency, while data communications receive standard service levels that prevent excessive latency without requiring all network resources to be dedicated to control traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for implementing quality of service (QoS) for network communications sharing a network in a networked virtualization environment for storage management, includes receiving a network communication from a controller VM, identifying whether the network communication is a data communication type issued by a user VM or a control communication type issued by the controller VM, applying a set of rules to the network communication based on its communication type, and placing the network communication in a prioritization class queue based on a result of applying the set of rules to the network communication.