Virtualization Server SSD Cache Metadata Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cluster virtualization systems, caching data on virtualization servers can lead to inconsistencies due to shared metadata, and writing data to shared storage takes a long time, necessitating a solution that reduces input/output operations and maintains data integrity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a solid state drive cache on virtualization servers to intercept and cache basic data while preventing metadata from being cached, using a dynamic multipathing module to distinguish and filter metadata, and managing cache invalidation to maintain data consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is cached on the virtualization server, then I/O operations are reduced and system efficiency is improved, but data inconsistencies may occur due to shared metadata across multiple virtualization servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into two distinct categories: metadata and basic data. Metadata is excluded from the cache and always accessed from shared storage to maintain consistency across virtualization servers, while basic data is cached locally to improve performance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing selective caching that avoids consistency issues while maintaining efficiency benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts metadata from the data operation and prevents it from being cached on the virtualization server. By taking out metadata from the caching process and keeping it only in shared storage, the system eliminates the source of inconsistency while still allowing basic data to be cached for performance improvement.
2Loss of energy
If all data including metadata is cached on the virtualization server, then I/O operations over the storage network are reduced, but conflicts over shared metadata storage arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts metadata from the data operation and prevents it from being cached on the virtualization server. By taking out metadata from the caching process and keeping it only in shared storage, the system eliminates the source of inconsistency while still allowing basic data to be cached for performance improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a filtering mechanism as an intermediary between the data operation and the cache. This filter intercepts data operations, identifies metadata, and prevents it from being cached while allowing basic data to proceed to the cache. The intermediary resolves the conflict by selectively managing what gets cached.
3Speed
If metadata is cached at the virtualization server to improve access speed, then data retrieval is faster, but inconsistencies are created across multiple virtualization servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into two distinct categories: metadata and basic data. Metadata is excluded from the cache and always accessed from shared storage to maintain consistency across virtualization servers, while basic data is cached locally to improve performance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing selective caching that avoids consistency issues while maintaining efficiency benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for caching data on virtualization servers may include: 1) providing a virtualization server that executes at least one virtual machine on the virtualization server, 2) intercepting a data operation that includes both basic data and metadata, the data operation being requested by the virtualization server, 3) caching the basic data from the data operation on a solid state drive cache at the virtualization server, and 4) preventing the solid state drive cache from providing metadata from the data operation to the virtualization server. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.