RAID Memory Coordination for User Access Latency

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Solution Overview

Problem

In RAID systems, background access operations can occupy excessive memory capacity, leading to user access operations being throttled and delayed, as there is no mechanism to share information between storage resource pools, resulting in inefficient resource allocation and longer response times.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that collect statistical data from multiple storage resource pools to determine memory availability, allowing for dynamic adjustment of background access operations to control memory usage, thereby optimizing user access performance by throttling or accelerating background operations based on load conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If background access operations are allowed to run at full capacity, then data reconstruction and maintenance can be completed faster, but user access operations experience increased wait times and reduced performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackground operation completion speedVSAvoiduser access wait time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the execution speed of background access operations based on real-time memory availability and user access load conditions. When user access demand is high, background operations are throttled; when user access demand is low, background operations can proceed at full speed, achieving adaptive resource allocation that resolves the contradiction between background operation speed and user access responsiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters by monitoring memory usage and dynamically adjusting the throughput rate of background access operations. By varying the execution rate parameter of background operations based on system state, the system can prioritize user access when needed while maintaining background operation progress when resources are available

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If background access operations in one storage resource pool are throttled, then local user access performance improves, but global memory resources may still be underutilized when other pools have available capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser access performanceVSAvoidmemory resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a universal memory pool that can be shared across multiple storage resource pools. Instead of isolating memory resources to individual pools, the same memory resources can be dynamically allocated to serve user access operations from any pool, increasing overall resource utilization while maintaining performance guarantees for all pools

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a memory management intermediary that sits between storage resource pools and memory resources. This intermediary monitors memory availability across pools and dynamically routes background and user access operations to appropriate memory resources, enabling efficient cross-pool resource sharing and preventing any single pool from monopolizing memory capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If storage resource pools operate independently without information sharing, then each pool can manage its own resources autonomously, but memory capacity cannot be shared between pools leading to inefficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautonomous pool managementVSAvoidmemory capacity sharing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the memory management functions of multiple independent storage resource pools into a unified memory pool. By combining previously isolated memory resources into a shared pool with centralized management, the system enables cross-pool resource allocation while maintaining the operational independence and adaptability of individual storage pools

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10929065B2Method, device and computer program product for coordinating access operations

Publication Date: 2021.02.23 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Techniques coordinate access operations. Such techniques involve: obtaining first statistical data of a first set of access operations associated with a first storage resource pool in the RAID and second statistical data of a second set of access operations associated with a second storage resource pool in the RAID, the first set of access operations including a background access operation and a user access operation, and the second set of access operations including at least a user access operation; determining, based on the first and second statistical data, availability of a memory shared by the first and second storage resource pools; and adjusting, based on the availability, the background access operation in the first set of access operations to control a capacity of the memory occupied by the background access operation. Accordingly, the response time of the storage system for the user access operations can be shortened, etc.