SSD Memory Mapping for Direct SCSI to RDMA Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face inefficiencies in data access due to the slow operation of mechanically moving parts in long-term storage units and the need to manage multiple client requests, which results in slow data flow and processing power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a server with a Solid-State Drive (SSD) and a network adapter that uses Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) and Direct Data Placement (DDP) to map storage space into memory space, allowing direct data transfer between the SSD and client devices without involving Random Access Memory (RAM) or the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and issuing SCSI Command Responses with fencing requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If data is copied from long-term storage unit to short-term memory unit before being sent to client device, then data can be transmitted over network, but data flow speed is reduced and processing power is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data copying function from the server's CPU and RAM, allowing data to be read directly from the storage unit's memory space by the network adapter without being copied to the server's short-term memory unit first. This eliminates unnecessary data movement and processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a memory mapping mechanism that creates a virtual intermediary layer between the storage unit and network adapter, allowing the network adapter to access storage data directly through mapped memory addresses without requiring physical data copying through the server's RAM.
2Speed
If mechanically moving parts are used in long-term storage unit, then data can be stored, but operation speed is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical data access operations with direct memory space mapping operations. Instead of physically moving data through mechanical interfaces between storage and memory units, the system uses virtual memory mapping to provide direct logical access to storage data from the network adapter.
3Ease of operation
If multiple client requests are placed into queues for management, then requests can be handled systematically, but data flow speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the queue management overhead from the data path by implementing direct memory-mapped access. Requests are handled through direct memory address translation rather than being queued and processed sequentially through multiple management layers, reducing latency while maintaining systematic handling.
Data Source
AI summary
Device, system, and method of accessing storage. For example, a server includes: a Solid-State Drive (SSD) to store data; a memory mapper to map at least a portion of a storage space of the SSD into a memory space of the server; and a network adapter to receive a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) read command incoming from a client device, to map one or more parameters of the SCSI read command into an area of the memory space of the server from which data is requested to be read by the client device, said area corresponding to a storage area of the SSD, and to issue a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) write command to copy data directly to the client device from said area of the memory space corresponding to the SSD.