Storage Controller Node Assignment for Bandwidth Bottleneck Mitigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Storage systems with multiple nodes face performance bottlenecks due to insufficient network bandwidth, particularly in data transfers between the host and controller nodes, which are not adequately addressed by existing caching methods that focus only on reducing data transfer between controller and storage medium nodes.
Innovation Solution
A storage system and controller assignment method that determine the optimal node for the controller function based on the amounts of data transfer between nodes, minimizing the use of narrow-band network paths by comparing and adjusting data transfer paths between the host and controller nodes and storage medium nodes to mitigate bottlenecks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If caching is used to reduce data transfer between controller and storage medium nodes, then data transfer between controller and storage medium is reduced, but data transfer between host and controller may become a new bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different controller nodes have different cache capacities based on their specific network connection characteristics. Controllers connected via narrow-band networks are allocated larger cache capacities to buffer more data locally, while controllers with wide-band connections have smaller caches. This localized optimization ensures that each controller's cache capacity matches its specific network bandwidth constraints, preventing bottlenecks at the host-controller interface while maintaining efficient controller-storage medium data transfer.
2Productivity
If data transfer between host and controller is increased to improve access performance, then access performance improves, but network bandwidth consumption increases causing bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-allocating cache capacities to controller nodes before data transfer operations begin. The storage medium node determines and assigns appropriate cache capacities to each controller node based on their network connection characteristics (narrow-band or wide-band). This preliminary assignment ensures that when data transfer operations occur, controllers with narrow-band connections have sufficient cache capacity already available to buffer data, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring smooth data flow without requiring dynamic bandwidth negotiation during operations.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple controller nodes are used to increase storage capacity and access performance, then storage capacity and performance increase, but data transfer bottlenecks occur due to insufficient network bands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different controller nodes have different cache capacities based on their specific network connection characteristics. Controllers connected via narrow-band networks are allocated larger cache capacities to buffer more data, while controllers with wide-band connections have smaller caches. This localized optimization ensures that each controller's cache capacity matches its specific network bandwidth constraints, preventing bottlenecks at the host-controller interface while maintaining efficient controller-storage medium data transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the cache memory at controller nodes as an intermediary buffer between the host and storage medium node. This intermediary cache absorbs the bandwidth mismatch by buffering data temporarily, allowing controllers with narrow-band connections to accumulate data before transferring to the host, and allowing controllers with wide-band connections to efficiently transfer data without accumulation. The cache acts as a mediator that decouples the data transfer rates between different system components.
Data Source
AI summary
A possible performance bottleneck associated with insufficient network bands is mitigated to allow improvement of access performance of a storage system.A storage system includes a first node with a storage medium of storage and a plurality of second nodes each with a controller function for the storage, and is communicatively connected to a host providing an access request to the storage. One of the plurality of second nodes is determined to be a node to which a controller function executing access processing on the storage is assigned on the basis of a first amount of data transfer between the second node and the host and a second amount of data transfer between the second node and the first node.