RAID Strip-State Formatting for Online Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RAID reconstruction methods require extensive metadata storage, leading to increased costs and inefficient, time-consuming operations, with read/write operations restricted during reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
A data organization method that formats RAID in units of strips, allowing concurrent data write operations and metadata to record formatting states, enabling online reconstruction by setting and modifying marks in a bitmap to track strip status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RAID reconstruction uses bitmap to track entire disk from beginning to end, then reconstruction completeness is ensured, but reconstruction time and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the RAID reconstruction process into segments by introducing format state markers that identify completed versus incomplete strips. Instead of reconstructing the entire disk sequentially from beginning to end, the system segments the reconstruction work and processes only the incomplete segments, significantly reducing reconstruction time while maintaining completeness.
2Reliability
If metadata is stored in memory with power-failure protection or non-transitory memory, then data safety is improved, but storage scale is restricted and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the format state tracking information from the traditional metadata storage location and implements it through format state markers embedded directly in the data strips. This approach removes the burden of storing extensive metadata in protected memory, allowing the system to scale more efficiently while maintaining data safety through the distributed markers.
3Reliability
If read/write operations are restricted during RAID reconstruction, then data loss is prevented, but system productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of read/write operations during reconstruction by using format state markers to identify which strips have been formatted. The system allows read/write operations on strips marked as formatted while restricting them only on strips being reconstructed. This dynamic approach maintains data safety for incomplete strips while preserving system productivity by allowing operations on complete strips.
4Device complexity
If RAID formatting uses small unit size metadata, then metadata structure efficiency is improved, but total metadata volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the format state tracking function with the existing data strip structure by embedding format state markers directly in the strips. Instead of maintaining separate metadata structures, the system combines the formatting state information with the data units themselves, eliminating redundant metadata volume while maintaining structural efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A data organization method and apparatus for a redundant array of independent disks, a server, and a medium. The method includes: acquiring all strips of a redundant array of independent disks, and setting a to-be-formatted mark in a bitmap corresponding to each strip; formatting the redundant array of independent disks in units of strips, and allowing a data write operation; in response to detecting that a strip provided with a to-be-formatted mark has been formatted, then modifying in a bitmap the to-be-formatted mark of the formatted strip to a formatting-completed mark; and sequentially performing data recovery on strips provided with formatting-completed marks.