Storage Controller State Switching for Power-Aware Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in reducing power consumption while maintaining high availability, especially in enterprise systems with multiple controllers, as existing methods to reduce power consumption compromise reliability.
Innovation Solution
A storage system with multiple controllers transitions between normal, degraded, and standing-by states in response to commands, where designated controllers shift to standing-by states to conserve power, and others take over operations upon failure, ensuring redundancy and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple storage controllers are mounted to achieve high redundancy and availability, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage controller dynamically changes operational state based on system conditions. The controller transitions between normal operation state, degraded operation state, and standing-by state according to commands from the management apparatus and failure detection, enabling power consumption optimization while maintaining availability through state-based power management
Solution Approach 2:
The controller modifies operational parameters by transitioning between defined states (normal, degraded, standing-by). Each state represents a different operational mode with distinct power consumption characteristics, allowing the system to adjust power usage based on redundancy requirements and failure conditions
2Reliability
If storage controllers are kept in normal operation state to maintain availability, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management apparatus preemptively commands storage controllers to transition to standing-by state when redundancy requirements are satisfied, before actual failures occur. This preliminary state transition reduces power consumption while the management apparatus maintains the capability to quickly restore availability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The storage controller autonomously responds to failure detection by transitioning from standing-by to degraded operation state, and subsequently to normal operation state when redundancy is restored. This self-service mechanism ensures availability maintenance without requiring constant management apparatus intervention
Data Source
AI summary
Storage controllers shift from a normal operation mode to a degraded operation mode in accordance with a command from a management apparatus. Each of the storage controllers in the normal operation mode works in the normal operation state. In transition from the normal operation mode to the degraded operation mode in accordance with a command from the management apparatus, a storage controller designated by the management apparatus changes from the normal operation state into the standing-by state and the other storage controllers except for the designated storage controller change from the normal operation state into the degraded operation state. The storage controller in the standing-by state changes into the degraded operation state in response to stop of a storage controller in the degraded operation state because of occurrence of a failure under the degraded operation mode.