RAID Consistency Check via Failure-Tracking Repository
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Solution Overview
Problem
RAID system consistency checks are time-consuming due to the need to verify and correct data across all sectors, especially in large storage capacities, impacting input/output performance.
Innovation Solution
An information repository tracks I/O failures on drives to identify regions with a high likelihood of inconsistent data, allowing focused consistency checks on those areas rather than the entire volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If consistency check is performed on all sectors of the drive, then data consistency is ensured, but the time required for consistency check increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the drive into multiple regions and uses an information repository to track I/O failures by region. Instead of checking all sectors uniformly, the system segments the consistency check process to focus only on regions with high likelihood of inconsistency, thereby reducing overall check time while maintaining data consistency reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different checking strategies to different regions of the drive based on their failure history. Regions with I/O failures receive focused consistency checking, while regions without failures are excluded from checking. This local quality approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to where they are most needed, reducing total check time without compromising data consistency
2Reliability
If consistency check covers entire drive capacity, then all inconsistent data is detected, but I/O performance is significantly impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary tracking of I/O failures in the information repository before the consistency check. By pre-identifying regions with failure history, the system prepares a targeted checking list that excludes healthy regions. This preliminary action allows the consistency check to proceed quickly on only the necessary regions, maintaining detection completeness while preserving I/O performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing consistency checks on only a subset of regions rather than the entire drive. The information repository enables the system to identify and check only those regions with high likelihood of inconsistency, using partial checking action that is sufficient for reliability but does not excessively impact I/O performance
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing an amount of time required for performing consistency checking in a redundant storage system includes steps of: providing an information repository associated with each of a primary drive and at least one redundant drive; storing, in the information repository, information relating to input/output failures on the primary drive and redundant drive; determining a likelihood that one or more regions of the primary drive and/or redundant drive contains inconsistent data as a function of the information stored in the information repository; and performing consistency checking on the one or more regions of the primary drive and the redundant drive determined to have at least a prescribed likelihood of containing inconsistent data to thereby reduce the amount of time required for performing consistency checking.