NVRAM Drive Offline Handling via Virtual Disk Redundancy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing approaches are inadequate to protect storage systems from data loss when one non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) drive goes offline, particularly due to power failures or single storage node faults, which can leave the remaining NVRAM drive without redundancy and vulnerable to further failures.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that determines when one NVRAM drive of a pair is offline, generates a virtual disk on solid-state disks (SSDs), copies the contents of the online NVRAM drive to the virtual disk, and exposes the virtual disk to the storage system as a representation of the offline NVRAM drive, thereby maintaining data availability and redundancy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If NVRAM drives are organized in pairs for high availability, then data redundancy is improved, but the system remains vulnerable to data loss when one drive goes offline due to power failure or node fault

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata redundancyVSAvoiddata loss vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a virtual disk as an intermediary layer between the physical NVRAM drives and the storage system. When one NVRAM drive goes offline, the virtual disk mediates by redirecting I/O operations to the remaining online NVRAM drive, preventing data loss and maintaining system availability without requiring direct access to the failed drive.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the operational parameters of the storage subsystem by detecting the offline status of NVRAM drives and adjusting the virtual disk configuration accordingly. This includes modifying I/O routing parameters and drive accessibility parameters to maintain data redundancy and prevent data loss vulnerability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a virtual disk is generated on SSDs to represent offline NVRAM drives, then data availability is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidstorage system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual disk is designed with multi-functionality to manage multiple NVRAM drives simultaneously. It can represent both online and offline drives, route I/O operations dynamically, and provide a unified interface to the storage system, thereby maintaining data availability while managing complexity through a single versatile component rather than multiple specialized mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12299314B2Storage management system and method

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A method, computer program product, and computing system for determining that one non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) drive of a pair of NVRAM drives of a storage system is offline, thus defining an offline NVRAM drive and an online NVRAM drive. A virtual disk may be generated on a plurality of solid-state disks (SSDs) of the storage system. The contents of the online NVRAM drive may be copied to the virtual disk. The virtual disk may be exposed to the storage system as a representation of the offline NVRAM drive.