Network Storage Buffering Reduction via Message Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network-attached storage devices are inefficient due to the CPU being a bottleneck in processing power and communication bandwidth, especially when scaling up storage capacity, as they require processing of both control and data messages, which places a high burden on the CPU and random-access memory.
Innovation Solution
Implementing separate processing paths for control messages and data messages, where control messages are routed through the processing device for administrative and management operations, while data messages are communicated directly between the storage client and storage device without going through the processing device, reducing the workload on the CPU and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the CPU processes both control messages and data messages in conventional network-attached storage devices, then the storage device can service all storage access requests, but the CPU becomes a bottleneck in processing power and communication bandwidth, especially when scaling up storage capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the message processing function into two independent paths: control message processing through the CPU and data message processing through a dedicated data path. This segmentation allows data messages to bypass the CPU, reducing its processing burden and enabling storage capacity scaling without proportionally increasing CPU power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the data message processing function from the CPU and creates a separate data path that handles data messages directly between the network interface and storage devices. This extraction removes the data processing burden from the CPU, allowing it to focus only on control messages while storage capacity can be scaled independently.
2Productivity
If the CPU processes all storage access messages, then complete control and data operations can be performed, but communication bandwidth requirements increase and power consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments message processing into control and data paths, allowing data messages to be handled by a dedicated data path without involving the CPU. This segmentation reduces the CPU's workload and associated power consumption while maintaining complete storage access capability through the combined paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The data path is designed to handle data messages autonomously without requiring CPU intervention. This self-service capability allows data messages to be processed efficiently through the dedicated path, reducing overall system power consumption while maintaining full storage access functionality.
3Ease of operation
If data messages are routed through the processing device, then centralized control is maintained, but processing efficiency decreases and security isolation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the message routing into two independent paths: control messages continue to flow through the CPU for centralized control, while data messages are routed through a separate data path for efficient processing. This segmentation maintains centralized control over control operations while improving data processing efficiency and enabling security isolation between control and data planes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method to provide network storage services to a remote host system, including: generating, from packets received from the remote host system, first control messages and first data messages; buffering, in a random-access memory of a memory sub-system, the first control messages for a local host system to fetch the first control messages, process the first control messages, and generate second control messages; sending the first data messages to a storage device of the memory sub-system without the first data messages being buffered in the random-access memory; communicating the second control messages generated by the local host system to the storage device of the memory sub-system; and processing, within the storage device, the second control messages and the first data messages to provide the network storage services.