Storage Device Deduplication and Compression Grain Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current storage technologies require the deduplication and compression grains to be the same, leading to limitations such as decreased deduplication ratios due to large grains and decreased compression ratios due to small grains.

Innovation Solution

The method involves performing deduplication based on a first grain and compression based on a second grain, where the size of the second grain is greater than the size of the first grain, allowing for different grains to be used for each process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a large grain is used for deduplication, then deduplication coverage is improved, but deduplication ratio decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvededuplication coverageVSAvoiddeduplication ratio
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the grain size parameter into two distinct values: a first grain size for deduplication and a second grain size for compression. This segmentation allows each process to operate at its optimal grain size independently, resolving the contradiction between deduplication coverage and deduplication ratio.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of grain size from a single fixed value to two different values (first grain size and second grain size) for different processes. This parameter change enables deduplication to use a larger grain for better coverage while compression uses a smaller grain for better ratio.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Quantity of substance

If a small grain is used for compression, then compression ratio is improved, but compression overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression ratioVSAvoidcompression overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the grain size parameter into two distinct values: a first grain size for deduplication and a second grain size for compression. This segmentation allows compression to use an optimally small grain size for better compression ratio without being constrained by deduplication requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs deduplication as a preliminary action before compression. By removing duplicates first at a larger grain size, the amount of data requiring compression is reduced, thereby lowering the compression overhead despite using a smaller compression grain size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If different grains are used for deduplication and compression, then overall reduction ratio is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverall reduction ratioVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a parameter change from a single grain size to two grain sizes (first and second grain sizes) for different processes. This controlled parameter change improves overall reduction ratio while maintaining manageable system complexity through clear separation of concerns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4030310B1Data processing method and storage device
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4030310B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4030310B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4030310B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a data processing method and a storage device, and belongs to the field of storage technologies. In this application, the storage device performs deduplication and compression based on different grains, deduplicates data based on a large grain, and compresses the data based on a small grain. Therefore, a limitation that a deduplication grain and a compression grain need to be the same is removed. A deduplication ratio decrease caused by an excessively large grain and a compression ratio decrease caused by an excessively small grain are avoided to some extent, to improve an overall reduction ratio of deduplication and compression.