Storage Device Resource Sharing for Scalability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Highly integrated storage devices face challenges in maintaining reliability due to increased complexity, leading to a demand for methods and devices that can improve their scalability and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system and operation method that enable resource sharing between storage devices, allowing them to transmit packets indicating their capability for resource sharing, share processor or memory resources, and manage resource requests through a central processing unit and interface switch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the level of integration of storage devices is rapidly increasing, then the capacity and manufacturing cost are improved, but the reliability and scale are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides storage resources into shareable and non-shareable components. Controllers are segmented to identify which devices can participate in resource sharing, allowing the system to maintain reliability by isolating critical functions while enabling capacity expansion through shared resources.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage devices are designed with multi-functionality, where controllers can operate in both dedicated and shared modes. The same physical device can provide unique storage capacity while also contributing shared resources (memory, processor) to the resource pool, improving reliability through redundancy without sacrificing capacity.
2Productivity
If storage devices share resources, then the efficiency and scalability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A host system acts as an intermediary that manages resource sharing between storage devices. The host receives capability information from devices, coordinates resource allocation, and handles requests, thereby simplifying the complexity by centralizing control rather than requiring complex peer-to-peer coordination between devices.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage devices pre-transmit capability information indicating their resource sharing capabilities before actual resource sharing operations begin. This preliminary action allows the host to pre-configure resource allocation strategies and avoid complex real-time decision-making during operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If storage devices transmit capability information and manage resource sharing, then the adaptability is improved, but the communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Devices transmit their resource sharing capability information in advance during initialization or configuration phases. This preliminary transmission of capability data allows the host to build a resource map beforehand, reducing the need for repeated communication during actual storage operations and minimizing communication overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
An operation method of a data storage system including storage devices includes transmitting a packet to a host including information indicating whether the storage devices are capable of resource sharing; transmitting ID information of the storage devices capable of resource to the host; transmitting by a requesting device among the capable storage devices a resource sharing request message to the remaining storage devices capable of resource sharing; and performing the resource sharing on at least one of the remaining storage devices.