Storage Manager Dynamic Tier Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Software developers face challenges in selecting the most appropriate storage location for data, leading to potential performance issues due to the complexity of available storage options and the need for manual decision-making.

Innovation Solution

An operating system with a storage manager that dynamically selects a storage tier based on object location factors such as cost, bandwidth, latency, and data properties, allowing unqualified requests for storage and optimizing based on specified or computed factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If developers manually select storage locations using programming functions, then data can be stored in specific locations, but the complexity of understanding and making decisions about multiple storage locations increases and application performance may be negatively impacted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of data storageVSAvoidcomplexity of storage selection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines the optimal storage location without requiring developer intervention. The storage manager autonomously evaluates multiple storage locations, applies selection criteria, and places data appropriately, freeing developers from complex storage selection decisions while maintaining optimal performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A storage manager component acts as an intermediary between the application and multiple storage locations. This intermediary handles the complexity of storage selection by evaluating criteria and automatically determining where to store data, shielding developers from the underlying complexity while enabling optimized storage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If developers explicitly specify storage locations, then data placement can be controlled, but the time and effort required for decision-making increases and may lead to suboptimal performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication performanceVSAvoidtime for storage decision-making
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-establishes selection criteria and automatically evaluates storage locations based on these criteria before data placement. This preliminary automated analysis eliminates the time-consuming manual decision-making process while ensuring optimal performance through systematic evaluation of multiple factors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The storage manager autonomously performs the time-consuming task of evaluating storage locations and making placement decisions. By automating this process, the system eliminates the time loss associated with manual developer decision-making while maintaining or improving application performance through optimized storage selection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2920701B1Dynamic selection of storage tiers
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 AMAZON TECH INC
  • EP2920701B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2920701B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2920701B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An operating system is configured to receive a request to store an object that does not specify the location at which the object should be stored. The request might also include an optimization factor and one or more object location factors. The operating system might also generate object location factors or retrieve object location factors from one or more external locations. Object location factors might also be utilized that are based upon properties of the object to be stored. Utilizing the object location factors, and the optimization factor if provided, the operating system dynamically selects an appropriate storage tier for storing the object. The tiers might include a local storage tier, a local network storage tier, a remote network storage tier, and other types of storage tiers. The object is then stored on the selected storage tier. The object may be retrieved from the storage tier at a later time.