Storage Node Control Circuit Bypassing IO Stack

Solution Overview

Problem

Storage nodes experience high latency and reduced bandwidth when processing requests due to the complexity of the input/output (IO) stack, particularly for small data payloads, which can be detrimental for accessing data stored across multiple memory media.

Innovation Solution

A storage node is configured with a control circuit to transmit location information for data stored in one memory medium and transfer data using a memory access scheme, allowing for the operation of one memory medium as a cache for another, thereby bypassing the IO stack and improving access efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is stored in multiple memory media and accessed through the traditional IO stack, then data storage capacity and reliability are improved, but access latency increases and bandwidth decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage reliabilityVSAvoiddata access latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data storage across multiple memory media types (volatile and non-volatile) and separates data location tracking from data retrieval operations. The data structure is divided into location information and actual data, allowing independent optimization of each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Location information acts as an intermediary between the requester and the actual data stored in memory media. This intermediary enables direct access to data without traversing the complete IO stack, reducing access latency while maintaining data reliability across multiple storage media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If data is stored in multiple memory media and accessed through the traditional IO stack, then data storage capacity and reliability are improved, but access bandwidth decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage reliabilityVSAvoiddata access bandwidth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data storage across multiple memory media types (volatile and non-volatile) and separates data location tracking from data retrieval operations. The data structure is divided into location information and actual data, allowing independent optimization of each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Location information acts as an intermediary between the requester and the actual data stored in memory media. This intermediary enables direct access to data without traversing the complete IO stack, reducing access latency while maintaining data reliability across multiple storage media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If one memory medium is operated as a cache for another, then data access speed is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access speedVSAvoidmemory system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data storage across multiple memory media types (volatile and non-volatile) and separates data location tracking from data retrieval operations. The data structure is divided into location information and actual data, allowing independent optimization of each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Location information acts as an intermediary between the requester and the actual data stored in memory media. This intermediary enables direct access to data without traversing the complete IO stack, reducing access latency while maintaining data reliability across multiple storage media.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4394576A1Apparatus and methods for accessing data at a storage node

Publication Date: 2024.07.03 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

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AI summary

An apparatus may include a storage node including a first interface to communicate with a first memory medium, a second interface to communicate with a second memory medium, and at least one control circuit configured to transmit, from the storage node, location information for data stored in the first memory medium, and transfer, from the storage node, using a memory access scheme, the data. The at least one control circuit may be configured to operate at least a portion of the first memory medium as a cache for at least a portion of the second memory medium. The at least one control circuit may be configured to transmit the location information using the memory access scheme. The at least one control circuit may be configured to update the location information to generate updated location information, and perform a transmission, from the storage node, of the updated location information.