Data Storage Controller Index Mapping for Disk Failure Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data storage systems, such as RAID-5 and RAID-6, do not provide continuous data protection for new written data until a damaged disk drive is replaced, leading to gaps in data protection and reduced storage performance.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system with a controller that creates an index data mapping table to redirect new written data to normal disk arrays with functioning data protection units, ensuring continuous protection and maintaining storage performance even when a disk drive is damaged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RAID-5 or RAID-6 configuration is used for data protection, then data integrity and fault tolerance are improved, but continuous data protection for new written data is lost until a damaged disk drive is replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mapping table as an intermediary component that redirects new written data from damaged disk arrays to healthy disk arrays. When a disk drive fails, the mapping table dynamically updates to route data through alternative paths, ensuring continuous protection without waiting for disk replacement. This mediator mechanism bridges the protection gap that exists in traditional RAID systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts data routing based on the operational status of disk drives. The mapping table is not static but continuously updated to reflect which disk arrays are healthy and which are damaged. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain data protection capabilities even when individual components fail, eliminating the fixed protection gaps in conventional RAID.
2Reliability
If disk drives are replaced after failure, then data protection is restored, but storage performance degrades during the failure period
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping table acts as an intermediary that transparently redirects data operations away from damaged disk arrays to healthy ones. This redirection is automatic and transparent to users, allowing the system to maintain full storage performance by utilizing available healthy disks while the damaged disks are being replaced. The mediator mechanism ensures no performance penalty is incurred during the failure recovery period.
3Reliability
If parity calculation is performed for data restoration, then data integrity is maintained, but system complexity and calculation overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing mapping relationships in the mapping table before failures occur. The mapping table is proactively updated when disk failures are detected, rather than waiting for restoration to be needed. This preliminary action reduces the complexity of restoration operations, as the routing decisions are already made and stored, eliminating the need for complex real-time parity calculations during critical recovery moments.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a data storage system and method. A controller is connected to a plurality of disk arrays, and each disk array is provided with a data protection unit for data protection. When one disk drive of one of the disk arrays is damaged, this disk array is defined as a damaged disk array, while other disk arrays without disk drives being damaged are defined as at least one normal disk array. The controller stops to write a new written data into the damaged disk array, while write the new written data into the normal disk arrays. The new written data will be protected by the data protection units of the normal disk arrays. Thereby, continuous data protection for the new written data by the data protection units together with preservation of storage performance of the system, after the disk drive is damaged, may be achieved.