RAID Group Flushing via Physical Address Sequencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disk array flushing methods are inefficient due to discrete concurrent flushing of multiple logical units, leading to excessive magnetic arm movement and reduced throughput, as they do not effectively manage the scheduling of multiple RAID groups with varying numbers of logical units.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that uniformly schedule multiple logical units within a RAID group based on physical addresses, allowing for sequential flushing and independent control of RAID groups to minimize magnetic arm movement and optimize concurrent flushing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If concurrent flushing is performed on multiple logical units with discrete sequences, then flushing parallelism is improved, but magnetic arm movement time increases and overall performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disk array into multiple RAID groups, each managed independently with its own flushing sequence. This allows concurrent flushing across RAID groups while maintaining sequential ordering within each group, reducing magnetic arm jumps while preserving parallelism benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a two-dimensional flushing structure: sequential ordering within RAID groups (first dimension) and concurrent execution across RAID groups (second dimension). This transforms the problem from one-dimensional sequential flushing to two-dimensional coordinated flushing, achieving both orderliness and parallelism
2Stability of the object's composition
If flushing is performed sequentially for each logical unit, then addressing orderliness is improved, but overall flushing throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sequential flushing operations into coordinated concurrent operations across RAID groups. By synchronizing flushing at the RAID group level while maintaining internal sequencing, it combines the benefits of sequential ordering with the throughput advantages of parallel execution
3Device complexity
If multiple RAID groups with different numbers of logical units are managed uniformly, then system simplicity is improved, but scheduling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disk array management into independent RAID group units, each with its own flushing sequence and control logic. This segmentation allows tailored scheduling for each RAID group's characteristics while maintaining overall system manageability through standardized group-level control
4Adaptability or versatility
If magnetic arm jumps back and forth for discrete addressing, then flexibility in addressing different logical units is improved, but time spent on addressing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary ordering of flushing operations within each RAID group before execution, establishing an optimal sequence that minimizes magnetic arm movement. This advance planning eliminates the need for random jumps during actual flushing, maintaining flexibility while reducing movement time
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a disk array flushing method and a disk array flushing apparatus. The method includes: acquiring a sequence, which is according to physical addresses of logical units, of the logical units in a same redundant array of independent disks RAID group in a disk array; and sequentially flushing, according to a sequence of the physical addresses of the logical units, concurrent flushing inputs/outputs IOs of the RAID group to the logical units in the RAID group, where each concurrent flushing IO includes at least one dirty page to be flushed to one logical unit in the RAID group. According to the disk array flushing method and the disk array flushing apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, by uniformly scheduling logical units in a single RAID group and performing flushing according to a sequence of physical addresses, it takes less time for a magnetic arm to jump back and forth for addressing, and influences between RAID groups are prevented by means of independent control over the RAID groups, thereby improving flushing efficiency of a disk array, and increasing throughput of the disk array.