Storage Controller Segmentation for Compressed Data Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
In storage systems, the varying compression rate of data poses a challenge when updating compressed data, as the size of the update data after compression may exceed the original compressed data size, making it impossible to overwrite in the same storage area, requiring a different storage method.
Innovation Solution
The storage apparatus divides its storage area into overwrite and append write areas, moving less frequently updated data to the append write area and performing append writes for update data, allowing efficient management of storage space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is compressed and stored in the storage device, then storage cost is reduced, but access performance deteriorates due to compression and decompression overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device is divided into multiple storage areas, each with different compression settings. Some areas use high compression ratios while others use low compression or no compression, allowing the system to segment data storage based on access performance requirements versus storage efficiency needs
Solution Approach 2:
Different storage areas are assigned different compression characteristics based on local requirements. Frequently accessed data is stored in areas with lower compression or no compression to maintain access performance, while less frequently accessed data is stored in highly compressed areas to maximize storage capacity
2Quantity of substance
If compressed update data is stored, then storage space utilization improves, but overwrite becomes impossible when compressed update data size exceeds original compressed data size
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device is divided into overwrite storage areas and append write storage areas. The overwrite storage area allows traditional overwrite operations for data that fits within the original space, while the append write storage area handles cases where compressed update data exceeds the original size by appending to existing data structures
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system dynamically selects between overwrite and append write operations based on the size of the compressed update data. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain storage space utilization while preserving update capability for various data size scenarios
Data Source
AI summary
A storage apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes one or more storage devices and a storage controller. The storage controller separates an area of the storage device into an overwrite storage area and an append write storage area and manages the areas, and moves data between the overwrite storage area and the append write storage area. For example, less frequently updated data among write data from a host is moved to the append write storage area from the overwrite storage area. In a state where update data directed to the data stored in the append write storage area is received from a host, the storage controller compresses the update data and then performs append write of the compressed update data to the append write storage area.