RAID 6 Storage Control Device Concurrent Rebuilding Spare Failure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional RAID 6 storage systems face challenges in efficiently rebuilding data and parities across multiple storage devices, particularly when multiple failures occur, including the risk of hot spare failures during the rebuilding process, which can lead to prolonged downtime and data loss.

Innovation Solution

A storage control device with multiple rebuilding units and a rebuilding control unit that manages the rebuilding process, allowing for concurrent data rebuilding across multiple spare storage devices, even if one spare fails, ensuring continuous rebuilding and minimizing downtime by dynamically replacing failed spares and managing rebuilding modes to optimize data recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional RAID 6 rebuilding process is used, then data protection is improved, but rebuilding time increases and system downtime extends

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidrebuilding time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the rebuilding process into multiple independent units (first rebuilding unit for single failure, second rebuilding unit for dual failure) that can operate concurrently. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple failure scenarios simultaneously without sequential dependency, reducing overall rebuilding time while maintaining comprehensive data protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-configures multiple spare storages and establishes rebuilding control tables before failures occur. When failures happen, the system can immediately initiate the appropriate rebuilding unit without delay, and the control unit pre-manages the coordination between multiple rebuilding operations, reducing response time and overall rebuilding duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If hot spares are used to replace failed storages, then storage reliability is improved, but the risk of hot spare failure during rebuilding increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage reliabilityVSAvoidhot spare failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements multiple spare storages in advance, creating a cushion against failures. When a hot spare itself fails during rebuilding, the system still has remaining spares or can utilize the dual rebuilding unit to complete the recovery process, cushioning the impact of the hot spare failure and preventing complete system failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically changes the rebuilding parameters based on the failure scenario. The rebuilding control unit adjusts which rebuilding unit executes and how spares are allocated based on real-time system state, optimizing the recovery process whether hot spares succeed or fail, thereby managing the risk effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If sequential rebuilding of storages is performed, then data integrity is maintained, but system downtime increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidsystem downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple rebuilding operations into a concurrent execution model. The first and second rebuilding units operate simultaneously on different failure scenarios, and the rebuilding control unit coordinates these merged operations to maintain data integrity while reducing total downtime through parallel processing rather than sequential operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic control where the rebuilding control unit adapts the rebuilding process based on real-time failure detection and system state. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize the rebuilding sequence and resource allocation, reducing downtime while ensuring data integrity through coordinated control of multiple rebuilding units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8386837B2Storage control device, storage control method and storage control program

Publication Date: 2013.02.26 FUJITSU LTD

AI summary

A storage control device includes a first rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in one of a plurality of storages that fails by using information stored in the plurality of storages excluding said failed storage and storing rebuilt information in a spare storage replaced with the failed storage, a second rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in two of said plurality of storages that fail by using information stored in said plurality of storages excluding the two failed storages and storing rebuilt information in two spare storages replaced with the two failed storages, and a rebuilding control unit for controlling said first rebuilding unit and second rebuilding unit where one of said spare storages fails during rebuilding the data stored in said two failed storages to replace the failed spare storage with other spare storage whereby said second rebuilding unit continues rebuilding the data.