Storage Array Controller NVRAM Buffering Object Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage systems face challenges in efficiently migrating data between disparate object storage environments, leading to complexities in data management and storage operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method and system for migrating data across object storage environments, utilizing storage array controllers with non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) for quick data buffering and storage, and employing erasure coding and mirroring for redundancy, along with a distributed architecture for data distribution and redundancy across multiple storage nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is migrated between disparate object storage environments using traditional methods, then data transfer can be completed, but data migration efficiency is low and latency is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage array controller as an intermediary component between source and destination object storage environments. The controller includes NVRAM that acts as a buffer to temporarily hold data during migration, enabling faster data transfer by reducing direct communication overhead between disparate storage systems and eliminating the need for sequential data copying through multiple intermediate steps.
2Ease of operation
If traditional storage systems are used for data migration, then data can be transferred, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage array controller is designed with multi-functional capabilities to simplify data migration across diverse storage environments. It provides universal interfaces and protocols that can communicate with different object storage systems, performs automatic data format conversion, handles various migration scenarios (full migration, incremental migration, selective migration), and integrates multiple functions including buffering, error correction, and data validation in a single device.
3Reliability
If data is migrated without redundancy mechanisms, then migration speed may increase, but data reliability and availability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary redundancy actions during the data migration process. The NVRAM is configured with erasure coding capabilities that encode data with redundancy information before writing to the buffer. Mirroring mechanisms create duplicate copies of critical data portions in advance. These preliminary redundancy measures ensure that if any data loss or corruption occurs during migration, the redundant copies enable automatic recovery without compromising the overall migration speed, as the redundancy is established proactively rather than requiring post-migration verification.
Data Source
AI summary
An object store service is operated as a front-end to a bucket on a first object store, wherein object store operations for the bucket are issued to the first object store. Content of the bucket is migrated from the first object store to a second object store, wherein operations to store additional content to the bucket are issued to the second object store. Subsequent object store operations for the bucket are issued to the second object store upon completion of the migration.