Storage Data Structure Validation via Tracking Bitmap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In data storage systems, validating the indirection object and its associated free object number lists to ensure that all free object numbers are correctly recycled and no used object numbers are mistakenly included in the free list, while maintaining efficiency in a system with frequent object creation and deletion, is a challenging task due to the potential for circular references and errors in tracking used and free states.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for validating a data structure in a storage system using a tracking structure with status fields that mark used and free table entries, allowing for sequential processing to determine the validity of the data structure by marking status fields corresponding to used and free entries, and identifying errors such as circular references or unmarked entries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the indirection object is validated by traversing free object number lists to ensure correctness, then data integrity is improved, but the validation time and system performance deteriorate due to the need to check each entry sequentially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining a tracking structure (bitmap) that is continuously updated whenever object numbers are allocated or freed. This allows the validation process to simply compare the current state against the pre-maintained tracking data, eliminating the need for time-consuming sequential traversal of free object number lists during validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the indirection object state in the form of a tracking structure (bitmap) that mirrors the used/free status of each object number. This copy can be quickly compared against the actual indirection object without requiring detailed examination of the original data structures, thus speeding up validation while maintaining reliability.
2Productivity
If a tracking structure is maintained in memory to mark used and free table entries, then validation speed is improved, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of the tracking structure from storing detailed information about each object (which would consume significant memory) to storing only a single bit per object number indicating used/free status. This parameter change dramatically reduces memory consumption while maintaining validation speed, as the bitmap requires only one bit per object number rather than full object metadata.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the indirection object allows frequent object creation and deletion with dynamic expansion, then system flexibility is improved, but the risk of circular references and tracking errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously updating the tracking structure whenever object numbers are allocated or freed. This real-time feedback mechanism ensures that the tracking structure always reflects the current state of the indirection object, automatically detecting and preventing circular references and tracking errors even as the system dynamically expands and contracts.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracking structure serves as an intermediary between the indirection object and the validation process. It mediates the complex relationships and state changes in the indirection object, providing a simplified and reliable representation that makes it easier to detect errors and maintain data structure correctness during frequent object creation and deletion operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Validating a data structure includes (a) maintaining a tracking structure in a memory, the tracking structure including a corresponding status field for each table entry, the status fields having an unmarked state and a marked state; (b) processing the table entries sequentially and tracking the used and free table entries using the tracking structure, such tracking including marking the status fields corresponding to used table entries and marking the status fields corresponding to the next free table entries referenced in the pointer fields of free table entries; and (c) determining validity of the data structure based on the tracking structure.