Signature-Based Multi-Phase Write for Data Integrity Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In information processing systems, data integrity tests face inaccuracies due to 'page tearing' caused by write data exceeding the native page size of the storage system, leading to inconsistencies in point-in-time replicas.
Innovation Solution
Implementing signature-based multi-phase write operations, where additional fields with designated signatures are associated with each page, allowing for detection and modification of signatures during write operations, ensuring integrity by rejecting incomplete read data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If write data size exceeds native page size, then data transfer efficiency is improved, but page tearing occurs causing data integrity loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments write data into multiple pages, each with its own signature field. This allows the system to handle large write operations by dividing them into manageable page-sized units while maintaining integrity tracking for each segment independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where signatures are written to additional fields in each page, then verified during read operations. This feedback loop detects page tearing by comparing expected signatures with actual page contents, enabling the system to identify and handle incomplete writes.
2Measurement precision
If signature verification is performed on all pages, then data integrity detection is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies signature verification selectively rather than uniformly to all pages. The system performs integrity checks on pages that are likely to be affected by page tearing (such as pages at boundaries or pages from writes exceeding page size), reducing unnecessary verification overhead while maintaining detection accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus in one embodiment comprises at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing device is configured, in a first phase of a given write operation of a data integrity test process, to associate with each of a plurality of pages of the given write operation at least one additional field having a designated signature, and in a second phase of the given write operation, to modify the signature of the additional field for each of the pages. The processing device is further configured, in a given read operation of the data integrity test process, to determine integrity of each of at least a subset of the pages based at least in part on the signature of its associated additional field. The data integrity test process may be configured to confirm consistency of the pages written by the given write operation relative to a corresponding point-in-time replica.