Storage Array Controller Memory Access Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprise storage systems face performance degradation due to storage devices performing operations other than I/O operations, leading to reduced throughput and latency.

Innovation Solution

A storage array controller aligns memory access operations by receiving information about the memory layout, determining the write size based on the layout, and sending write requests to specific locations within the memory units, optimizing data storage and retrieval processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If storage devices perform operations other than I/O operations, then device functionality is enhanced, but system throughput and latency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidsystem throughput and latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage system into distinct components: a storage array controller handling I/O operations and a separate storage device handling data reduction operations. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, maintaining high I/O throughput while enabling advanced storage functions through the dedicated data reduction engine.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary data reduction engine that sits between the host system and the storage device. This intermediary performs compression, deduplication, and other data reduction operations on data before it is written to the storage medium, thereby enhancing storage capacity and functionality without impacting the performance of I/O operations handled by the storage array controller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If memory access operations are not aligned to storage device geometry, then programming simplicity is maintained, but write request handling efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming simplicityVSAvoidwrite request handling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary alignment of memory access operations to the storage device's geometry before data is written. The storage array controller pre-processes write requests to align them with the physical sector boundaries and memory geometry of the storage device, thereby optimizing write efficiency without requiring complex programming from the host system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The storage array controller automatically performs geometry alignment of memory access operations without requiring host system intervention. The controller monitors its own write operations and dynamically adjusts memory access patterns to align with storage device geometry, enabling self-optimization of write performance while maintaining programming simplicity for the host.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10310740B2Aligning memory access operations to a geometry of a storage device

Publication Date: 2019.06.04 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

Aligning memory access operations to a geometry of a storage device, including: receiving, by a storage array controller, information describing the layout of memory in the storage device; determining, by the storage array controller, a write size in dependence upon the layout of memory in the storage device; and sending, by the storage array controller, a write request addressed to a location within the memory unit in dependence upon the layout of memory in the storage device.