Selective RAID Parity Generation for Storage Streams

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional storage devices face inefficiencies in managing data storage by applying RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) to all data, leading to excessive resource consumption and reduced performance due to the generation and storage of RAID parity data for all data, rather than selectively applying it only where necessary.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves an operation method for a storage device that selectively generates and stores RAID parity data only for specific streams, allowing RAID to be enabled or disabled on a per-stream basis without requiring a firmware update or reset, thereby optimizing resource usage and performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If RAID is applied to all data, then data reliability is improved, but resource consumption increases and performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into different streams and applies RAID selectively to specific streams rather than all data. The storage device receives stream identification information with write requests and applies RAID processing only to designated streams, dividing the data management task into manageable segments with different reliability requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by applying different storage policies (RAID enabled or disabled) to different data streams based on their specific requirements. Each stream can have customized RAID settings, allowing critical data to receive enhanced protection while non-critical data uses standard storage, optimizing resource allocation locally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If RAID is applied to all data, then data reliability is improved, but processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies RAID processing partially rather than universally. By enabling RAID for only certain streams that require it and disabling it for others, the system performs the necessary protective action without the excessive overhead of applying it to all data, thus maintaining processing speed for non-critical streams.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If RAID is enabled for all streams, then data protection is improved, but storage efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidstorage efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Use of energy by moving object

If RAID is selectively applied to specific streams, then resource consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource consumptionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal stream identification mechanism that works across all write requests. The storage device uses a unified approach of receiving stream IDs with requests and automatically determining RAID application based on these IDs, making the selective RAID system versatile and easier to manage despite the added functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4180935A1Operation methods of storage devices, and operation methods of storage systems including hosts and storage devices

Publication Date: 2023.05.17 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

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AI summary

Disclosed is an operation method including generating RAID parity data based on first data in response to an RAID enable request and a first write request, the RAID enable request and the first write request being received from an external host, the RAID enable request including a first stream identifier and a RAID enable indication, and the first write request including the first stream identifier and the first data, storing the first data and the RAID parity data based on the first stream identifier, storing second data based on a second stream identifier in response to receiving a second write request from the external host, the second write request including the second stream identifier and the second data, and receiving an RAID disable request from the external host, the RAID disable request including the first stream identifier and a RAID disable indication.