Policy-Driven Meta Volume Expansion in Storage Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data storage systems face complexity in managing large volumes and heterogeneous storage environments, requiring manual intervention for capacity expansion and lacking automated policy-driven solutions for efficient data volume management.

Innovation Solution

A software platform that analyzes data storage characteristics to create policies for meta volume allocation, enabling automated expansion and management of data volumes, and simplifies the integration of heterogeneous storage systems through REST API and CLI interfaces, allowing for scalable and flexible data storage solutions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual intervention is used for capacity expansion in heterogeneous storage environments, then flexibility and control are improved, but system complexity and management overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual control flexibilityVSAvoidmanagement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage system performs self-service through automated policy-driven volume expansion. The system automatically analyzes storage characteristics, creates expansion policies, and executes volume allocation without manual intervention. This eliminates the contradiction by replacing manual operations with autonomous system behavior that maintains flexibility through policy configurations while reducing management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by dynamically adjusting volume expansion based on analyzed storage characteristics and policy parameters. Instead of fixed manual procedures, the system modifies volume allocation parameters automatically based on real-time storage conditions, resolving the contradiction between operational flexibility and management complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If automated policy-driven solutions are implemented for volume management, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume management efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The volume management system is segmented into distinct functional modules: storage characteristic analysis, policy creation, and volume allocation. Each module performs a specific function independently, which improves productivity through automated workflows while managing complexity by dividing the system into manageable, specialized components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Policy acts as an intermediary between storage characteristics and volume allocation decisions. The policy layer translates storage requirements into automated expansion actions, improving productivity by enabling automated decision-making while reducing the perceived complexity for users who interact only with high-level policy definitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If meta volumes are allocated based on analyzed storage characteristics, then adaptability to different storage needs is improved, but the complexity of policy creation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage allocation adaptabilityVSAvoidpolicy creation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Storage characteristics are analyzed in advance to pre-determine optimal volume allocation policies. By performing preliminary analysis of storage conditions and requirements, the system prepares expansion policies beforehand, which improves adaptability to different storage scenarios while reducing the complexity of real-time decision-making and policy creation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10223019B1Policy-driven volume expansion
Publication Date: 2019.03.05 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC
  • US10223019B1 patent drawing
  • US10223019B1 patent drawing
  • US10223019B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer program product, system, and computer-executable method for managing meta volumes in a data storage system, the computer program product, system, and computer-executable method comprising receiving one or more data storage characteristics, analyzing the one or more data storage characteristics, based on the analyzing, creating a policy responsive to the data storage characteristics, and allocating a meta volume based on the policy.