OS-Level Storage Control for Cloud Flash Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional storage systems face inefficiencies in data management and reliability due to unnecessary write operations and lack of direct control over storage processes, leading to potential data loss and reduced system reliability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a direct-mapped flash storage system where the operating system initiates and controls storage processes, such as data mapping and erasure, without involving lower-level storage controllers, and utilizing non-volatile RAM as a buffer to improve write latency and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional storage controllers manage storage operations, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but write operations become redundant and data reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage control functionality from the traditional storage controller and relocates it to the operating system kernel. The OS kernel directly manages flash storage operations including wear leveling, bad block management, and data mapping, eliminating the intermediary storage controller layer that caused redundant write operations and reliability issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a non-volatile RAM buffer as an intermediary between the OS kernel and flash storage. This buffer absorbs write operations, reduces direct flash writes, and improves write latency while maintaining data integrity through buffered write completion before OS acknowledgment.
2Loss of time
If OS directly controls storage processes, then write latency is reduced and productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-allocating and pre-mapping flash storage blocks before actual data writes. The OS kernel prepares the flash storage environment in advance, creating mapping tables and reserved blocks that eliminate runtime computation delays during write operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical intermediary storage controller with a software-based OS kernel storage management system. This substitution eliminates hardware latency and enables direct OS control over storage operations, achieving lower write latency through software optimization and direct memory access to flash storage.
3Reliability
If redundant write operations are performed, then data integrity is improved, but loss of time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating and maintaining a mapping table that tracks logical-to-physical block mappings in flash storage. Instead of redundant writes to ensure integrity, the system maintains this mapping structure that enables efficient data location and verification without repeated write operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuity of useful action through the non-volatile RAM buffer that continuously receives and queues write operations. The buffer maintains write continuity by absorbing write bursts and smoothing the flow to flash storage, eliminating idle time and ensuring continuous productive write operations without integrity-compromising redundancy.
Data Source
AI summary
Administering storage access in a cloud-based storage system includes: acquiring, by a first storage controller, in response to a protocol request for exclusive access to an area of storage, a first lease for the area of storage of the cloud-based storage system; and storing, by the first storage controller, a first identifier for the first lease in a predefined portion of the area of storage, where the predefined portion of the area of storage is accessible to a second storage controller.