Object Identifier Mapping for Storage Zone Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In object addressable storage systems, determining the physical location of content units using object identifiers is challenging, especially when content units are stored across multiple zones, and managing changes in zone availability and capacity is complex, leading to inefficiencies in storage and retrieval processes.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method to modify object identifiers to map content units to available zones, using a mapping scheme that adapts to changes in zone availability and capacity by establishing new mapping schemes and using temporal information to determine which scheme to use for storage and retrieval, ensuring content units are stored in available zones and can be efficiently retrieved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If object identifiers are used to map content units to storage zones, then content units can be stored and retrieved efficiently, but the system becomes unable to adapt when zones become unavailable or capacity changes
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping scheme is made dynamic by incorporating temporal information (timestamps) into the object identifier structure. The system determines which mapping scheme to use based on the temporal information, allowing automatic adaptation when zones become unavailable or capacity changes without requiring system reconfiguration or host computer intervention.
2Ease of operation
If a fixed mapping scheme is used for object identifiers to zones, then storage operations are simple and fast, but the system cannot handle zone failures or capacity changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by embedding temporal information in object identifiers during the storage operation. This preliminary encoding allows the system to automatically select the appropriate mapping scheme during retrieval operations, ensuring reliability when zones change without adding complexity to the basic storage operation.
3Productivity
If object identifiers are modified to map to available zones, then storage capacity is optimized, but the original object identifier mapping information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The solution implements a nested structure where multiple mapping schemes are embedded within the object identifier system. The temporal information acts as a key that nests and selects among different mapping schemes, allowing the system to optimize storage capacity by using different schemes while preserving the ability to retrieve content through the nested temporal information without losing the fundamental object-identifier-to-content relationship.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments are directed to a technique for storing and/or locating content units stored on an object addressable storage (OAS) system, wherein each content unit is identified by an object identifier. The OAS system may comprise a plurality of zones, each of which stores content units. A mapping process may be defined that maps object identifiers for content units to zones on the OAS system. Thus, the storage location for a content unit on the OAS system may be the zone on the OAS system to which the object identifier for the content unit maps.