Storage Disk Load Balancing via Dynamic Data Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In RAID-based storage systems, imbalanced use rates of storage disks lead to uneven IO and wear, restricting the storage space available to users, especially when disk groups change due to additions or removals.
Innovation Solution
A method that identifies storage disks with high use rates, allocates equivalent storage blocks from disks with lower use rates, moves data from high-use disks to low-use disks, and releases the high-use blocks, thereby balancing the use rates across disks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If storage disks are added or removed from the RAID disk group, then the storage system can adapt to changing requirements, but the use rate of each storage disk becomes greatly different, leading to uneven IO and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic load balancing by continuously monitoring disk use rates and automatically migrating data between disks. The system adjusts data distribution in real-time based on current disk utilization, transforming the static RAID configuration into a dynamic system that adapts to changing conditions and maintains balanced disk wear patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of data distribution across disks by calculating target use rates and migrating data to achieve balanced utilization. By dynamically adjusting which data blocks reside on which disks based on current load conditions, the system transforms the fixed allocation into a flexible parameter-based distribution that maintains reliability.
2Productivity
If data is concentrated on fewer storage disks with higher use rates, then storage capacity is efficiently utilized, but the storage space available to users is restricted and the risk of disk failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring that different disks have balanced utilization rates through selective data migration. Instead of uniform treatment, the system identifies specific disks with high use rates and migrates specific data blocks to disks with lower use rates, creating locally optimized quality distribution across the storage array.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring disk use rates and using this information to guide data migration decisions. The monitoring component provides feedback about current disk utilization, which triggers automated migration operations to rebalance the load, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques involve: determining a first group of storage disks, a use rate of each storage disk of the first group of storage disks exceeding a first threshold, the first group of storage disks comprising a first group of storage blocks corresponding to a first redundant array of independent storage disk (RAID); allocating a second group of storage blocks corresponding to a second RAID from a second group of storage disks, the second group of storage blocks having the same size as that of the first group of storage blocks, a use rate of each storage disk of the second group of storage disks being under a second threshold; moving data in the first group of storage blocks to the second group of storage blocks; and releasing the first group of storage blocks from the first group of storage disks. Thus, use rates of the storage disks become more balanced.