Storage Controller Authority Transfer for Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
In storage systems with multiple controllers, processing dependence between controllers leads to increased communication overhead and performance deterioration, especially when data is dynamically arranged like a log structure, and existing methods do not effectively address the movement of access processing and storage area management.
Innovation Solution
A storage system where authority for access processing and storage area management is moved between controllers, with each controller allocating and managing its own storage area, reducing processing dependence by copying mapping information and performing garbage collection and defragmentation independently, thus minimizing communication overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If access processing is allocated to multiple controllers to improve load distribution, then productivity is improved, but processing dependence between controllers increases causing communication overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage area into multiple independent allocation units, each assigned to a specific controller. This segmentation allows controllers to independently manage their allocated storage areas without requiring coordination with other controllers, thereby eliminating processing dependence while maintaining load distribution across multiple controllers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If storage area is shared among multiple controllers to increase adaptability, then versatility is improved, but communication overhead increases due to exclusive control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different storage area allocation units to different controllers based on their specific needs and capabilities. Each controller has exclusive control over its locally allocated storage area, eliminating the need for exclusive control protocols when accessing different storage regions. This allows the system to maintain high versatility through distributed allocation while avoiding communication overhead.
3Productivity
If data is dynamically arranged in log structure to improve performance, then productivity is improved, but processing dependence increases causing communication overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the coordination requirement from the dynamic data arrangement process by allocating storage areas to specific controllers. When data needs to be dynamically arranged in log structure, each controller independently manages its allocated storage area without needing to coordinate with other controllers. This extraction of the coordination requirement eliminates processing dependence while maintaining the performance benefits of dynamic data arrangement.
4Productivity
If access processing moves between controllers to balance load, then productivity is improved, but authority transfer for storage area management creates processing dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage area management authority by permanently assigning specific allocation units to specific controllers. When access processing needs to move between controllers to balance load, the storage area allocation remains with the original controller, eliminating the need for authority transfer. This segmentation of management authority allows flexible processing allocation while avoiding the complexity of authority transfer protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Each controller moves authority for access processing to data in a logical area allocated to the controller between the controllers, for a first storage area in which there is data related to the logical areas of the plurality of controllers by moving the authority for the access processing from a first controller to a second controller. Each of the first controller and the second controller writes data after update related to a write request to the storage area allocated to the own controller and deletes data before update in the first storage area, and moves data for which the own controller has the authority for the access processing in the first storage area to another storage area allocated to the own controller while taking over the allocation of the first storage area in relocation processing of relocating data.