Storage Control Device Clone Processing Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The creation of multiple clone disks from a single master disk synchronously increases the load on the master disk, leading to prolonged processing times due to the need for simultaneous data reading from the master disk for each clone disk creation.
Innovation Solution
A storage control device and method that manage data copying by segmenting data into continuous blocks, allowing sequential reading and writing across multiple clone disks, where the clone processing unit starts copying data from the master disk into one clone disk before completing the copy to another, reducing the load on the master disk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple clone disks are created synchronously from one master disk, then the number of clone disks is increased, but the processing time is lengthened due to repeated reading from the master disk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-reading data segments from the master disk before clone disk creation requests are fully processed. The storage control device reads data segments in advance and stores them in a buffer, so when multiple clone disk creation requests arrive simultaneously, the data is already available and can be distributed to multiple clone disks without repeated reading operations from the master disk, thereby reducing processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a buffer memory that acts as a mediator between the master disk and multiple clone disks. The storage control device reads data from the master disk and stores it in the buffer, then distributes this buffered data to multiple clone disks simultaneously. This intermediary buffer eliminates the need for multiple synchronous reading operations from the master disk, resolving the contradiction between creating multiple clones and reducing processing time
2Quantity of substance
If data is read from the master disk for each clone disk creation, then complete clone disks are created, but the load on the master disk is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The storage control device performs preliminary reading of data segments from the master disk and stores them in a buffer before processing multiple clone disk creation requests. This preliminary action ensures that when multiple clones need to be created, the data is already available in the buffer, preventing increased load on the master disk while still enabling creation of multiple clone disks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple data reading operations into a single reading operation by using a shared buffer. Instead of reading data from the master disk separately for each clone disk creation, the storage control device reads data once and stores it in the buffer, then serves multiple clone disk creation requests from this single buffered copy, thereby reducing the load on the master disk while maintaining the ability to create multiple clones
Data Source
AI summary
A storage control device according to the present invention connected to a master disk device that stores data into a plurality of segments continuously, and a plurality of copy disk devices that are copy destinations of the data, the storage control device includes: a clone processing unit that, when receiving a copy instruction for one of the copy disk devices, repeats reading and writing of each of the segments in order of address to complete copy, and that, when a first copy disk that is the copy disk device other than a later copy disk that is the specified copy disk device is during copy when receiving the copy instruction, starts copy of the later copy disk from the segment during reading, and, after the completion of reading data of the segment, performs writing into both the first copy disk and the later copy disk.