Storage Data Protection Strategy Selection Based on Power Budget

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Storage systems face inefficiencies in power consumption due to data protection strategies like mirroring and RAID, which keep multiple devices powered on, leading to increased energy usage and carbon footprint.

Innovation Solution

A method to manage storage by selecting a data protection strategy based on power-related metadata, such as a 'power budget' or 'carbon limit', to optimize energy consumption by choosing strategies like mirroring or RAID levels that minimize power usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data protection strategies like mirroring or RAID are implemented, then data reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes operational parameters by adjusting the data protection strategy based on power budget metadata. When power consumption is constrained, the system transitions from aggressive protection strategies (RAID 5, RAID 6) to more conservative strategies (RAID 1, mirroring), thereby adapting the reliability parameter to match available power resources while staying within the specified power budget

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic selection mechanism that evaluates multiple data protection strategies and chooses the optimal one based on real-time power budget constraints. The system does not use a fixed protection strategy but dynamically adapts between different RAID levels and mirroring configurations depending on the power metadata associated with each content unit, resolving the contradiction between maintaining high reliability and reducing power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If multiple storage devices are kept powered on for data protection, then data availability is improved, but carbon emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidcarbon emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system modifies the operational parameters of storage devices by adjusting which devices remain powered on based on power budget metadata. For content units with strict power budgets, the system selects protection strategies that require fewer active devices, thereby reducing carbon emissions while maintaining the necessary data availability through selective use of mirroring or RAID configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of power consumption and carbon emissions into a beneficial outcome by using power budget metadata as a guiding parameter for strategy selection. What would normally be wasted power is now strategically allocated, allowing the system to maintain data availability only where necessary while minimizing overall carbon footprint across the storage infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS9619162B1Selecting a data protection strategy for a content unit on a storage system

Publication Date: 2017.04.11 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Some embodiments of the invention relate to selecting a data protection scheme, such as, for example, mirroring or RAID, for a content unit based on power-related metadata associated with the content unit. The data protection strategy selected for a content unit may impact the amount of power that a storage system consumes.