RAID Sub-Stripe Layout With Global Parity for Flash Node Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face inefficiencies in managing data storage and retrieval due to redundant operations and lack of centralized control over storage processes, leading to increased latency and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a direct-mapped flash storage system where higher-level processes initiate and control data operations directly on storage drives without intermediate storage controllers, utilizing non-volatile RAM for buffering and managing storage drives to optimize data management and reduce redundant operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional storage controllers manage data operations at lower levels, then data storage and retrieval can be performed, but unnecessary write operations occur and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data management functionality from traditional storage controllers and relocates it to host processors. This removes the problematic lower-level controller layer that caused unnecessary write operations, allowing the host to directly manage data stripes across flash drives with higher efficiency and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new intermediary layer in the form of host-based software that directly manages data stripe formation and allocation. This intermediary eliminates the need for traditional storage controllers while providing intelligent data placement and management, resolving the contradiction between reliability and write operation efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If data is stored across multiple flash drives, then storage capacity increases, but data integrity and reliability are compromised without proper management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into multiple stripes distributed across different flash drives and storage nodes. This segmentation increases storage capacity while maintaining data integrity through intelligent distribution strategies that consider drive health, performance, and failure domains, preventing data loss even when individual drives fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes data stripe parameters such as stripe width, stripe depth, and distribution patterns based on real-time drive conditions. This allows the system to optimize both storage capacity utilization and data integrity by adapting to changing drive states and failure scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
Redundant array of independent drives (RAID) sub-stripes are formed across one or more solid-state storage devices of storage nodes of a storage system. The RAID sub-stripes include corresponding shards of data to be stored at the solid-state storage devices, wherein at least one of the RAID sub-stripes has at least two of the corresponding shards of data on a same storage node. At least one global parity shard is generated for the RAID sub-stripes. The at least one global parity shard is to be stored on a first storage node that is different from each of the same storage nodes storing the at least two of the corresponding shards of data.