Storage Controller Deduplication Index Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for data deduplication in storage systems leads to a resource burden due to the need to manage information such as data hashes and storage locations, which can increase the complexity and cost of managing resources for deduplication processes.
Innovation Solution
A storage system and method that includes a controller with a memory to store mapping information and reference counts, allowing it to determine if incoming data is a duplicate by using an index, thereby performing deduplication by updating reference counts without storing duplicate data, thus reducing the burden of managing deduplication information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data deduplication techniques are used to improve storage space efficiency, then storage space utilization is improved, but the resources for managing information (data hashes and storage locations) increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the deduplication management function from the host system and relocates it to the storage system. The storage system now independently manages mapping information between indices and physical addresses, eliminating the need for the host to maintain complex deduplication metadata. This extraction reduces the management burden on the host while preserving storage space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the storage system maintains mapping information that acts as a mediator between the host's data and the physical storage locations. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of tracking duplicate data and managing storage locations, allowing the host to simply store data without managing deduplication overhead.
2Productivity
If the storage system manages mapping information and reference counts to enable deduplication, then deduplication functionality is improved, but the memory resources required for management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mapping information and reference count management into a unified structure within the storage system. By combining these management functions into a single integrated mechanism, the system reduces the total memory footprint compared to having separate management structures, while maintaining efficient deduplication processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system performs self-service by autonomously managing its own mapping information and reference counts without requiring extensive external management from the host. This self-service capability allows the storage system to efficiently handle deduplication operations using minimal external resources, improving productivity while minimizing memory requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system performing data deduplication includes a storage device configured to store data received from a host, and a controller configured to receive the data and an index associated with the data received from the host. The controller includes a memory configured to store mapping information and a reference count, the mapping information associating the index received from the host with a physical address of the storage system, the reference count associated with the index received from the host. The controller determines whether the data received from the host corresponds to a duplicate of data previously stored in the storage device by reading, from the memory, the mapping information and the reference count, the reading based on the index received from the host. The controller performs a deduplication process by updating the reference count if the data received from the host corresponds to the duplicate of data previously stored.