Storage Controller Bypassing Track Control Information for Faster Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage systems face performance overheads during read/write access due to the need to align disk heads with track control information, which slows down data access operations, especially in high-demand online commercial environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a storage apparatus and control method that manages logical volumes with aligned data and control information areas, allowing data access without referencing control information, thereby bypassing the need for disk head alignment and reducing processing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the storage controller reads the track control information part to confirm track position information for disk head alignment, then the reliability of data access is improved, but the access time increases and productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control information part from the track reading process. When data parts are read, the storage controller skips reading the control information part entirely, using only the data part reading process. This extraction eliminates the time-consuming track position confirmation step while maintaining data access reliability through alternative positioning methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements skipping of the control information part during data access operations. The storage controller rushes through the data part reading process by omitting the intermediate step of reading and verifying control information, thereby accelerating data access speed without compromising the integrity of the read operation.
2Productivity
If the storage controller omits reading the control information part to expedite access processing, then the productivity is improved, but the measurement precision of track position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the control information part reading step from the data access process. By extracting only the necessary data part reading operation and eliminating the control information verification step, the system achieves faster access processing while maintaining sufficient track position accuracy through the data part's inherent positioning information.
3Productivity
If the disk head skips the control information part position to access data parts directly, then the access time is reduced and productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional address conversion processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary address conversion by pre-calculating and storing the correspondence between logical volumes (with control information) and second logical volumes (data-only). This preliminary action allows the storage controller to directly convert data addresses without real-time control information reading, reducing access time while managing complexity through pre-computed address mappings.
Data Source
AI summary
The storage system includes a plurality of storage devices. A storage controller is configured to manage a plurality of pages in a pool provided by at least one of the plurality of storage devices, to provide a virtual storage area to a host by allocating one or more pages from the pool dynamically, in which the virtual storage area is formed with a data area and a control information area. The storage controller is further configured to expand the virtual storage area on a unit basis, where the unit is a set of a given size area of the data area and a given size area of the control information area. In response to a write request from the host, the storage controller is configured to store data into the data area and to store control information for accessing to the data into the control information area.