Shared Private Storage Space for Rebuild and Deduplication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Data storage systems face challenges in reducing private storage space consumption while maintaining efficiency and data integrity, as components like data rebuild, FSCK, and deduplication components require reserved space, making it difficult to lower costs.

Innovation Solution

Sharing private storage space among data rebuild, FSCK, and deduplication components by determining and allocating specific amounts for each, allowing for flexible use of reserved space for 'hot spare' and recovery operations, thereby reducing overall private storage space requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If private storage space is reserved for each storage system component (data rebuild, FSCK, deduplication), then reliability and data integrity are maintained, but storage space consumption increases and cost competitiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidstorage space consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges previously separate private storage spaces for data rebuild, FSCK, and deduplication components into a single shared private storage space. This consolidation allows multiple components to access and utilize the same storage resources dynamically, reducing total storage consumption while maintaining the reliability functions of each component through on-demand allocation and coordination mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The shared private storage space is designed to serve multiple storage system components simultaneously. The same storage space can be allocated to data rebuild operations, FSCK operations, or deduplication indexing depending on current system needs, making the storage resource universal and multi-functional rather than dedicated to a single component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If private storage space is reduced to lower costs, then cost competitiveness improves, but storage system efficiency and data integrity may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost competitivenessVSAvoidstorage system efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic allocation of shared private storage space to different components based on real-time system conditions and operational needs. Rather than static reservations, the storage space is dynamically assigned to data rebuild, FSCK, or deduplication operations as required, optimizing both cost efficiency and system productivity through adaptive resource management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The storage system components autonomously manage their access to the shared private storage space through coordination protocols. Components can self-allocate storage resources when needed and release them when not required, enabling efficient utilization without external intervention while maintaining system productivity and data integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If private storage space is pre-provisioned for each component, then component availability is ensured, but flexibility and adaptability of storage allocation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage allocation flexibilityVSAvoidstorage space management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the usage and availability of shared private storage space across different components. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust storage allocation, ensuring that components receive necessary resources while maintaining overall system balance. The feedback loop enables adaptive management without requiring complex pre-provisioning for each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10769020B2Sharing private space among data storage system data rebuild and data deduplication components to minimize private space overhead

Publication Date: 2020.09.08 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Techniques for sharing private space among storage system components. The techniques include determining an amount of private space for each of a rebuild component, an FSCK component, and a deduplication component, reserving private space equal to the sum of (i) the amount determined for the rebuild component and (ii) the maximum of the amounts determined for the FSCK and deduplication components, and allocating the remaining amount of storage space as user space. If a storage device fails, then the rebuild component rebuilds the failed drive data on a hot spare drive in the private space reserved for the rebuild component. If data files become corrupted, then the FSCK component performs offline recovery operations using the private space for the hot spare drive. If such private space for the hot spare drive is unavailable, then the FSCK component performs offline recovery operations using the private space reserved for the deduplication component.