Storage Control Node Page Descriptor Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in quickly restarting a control node after failure without interrupting normal service, leading to prolonged downtime and reduced response speed for read and write requests.
Innovation Solution
A method where a second control node loads a list of modified page descriptors from a first control node or cache device, updates its own list based on synchronization messages, and starts without interrupting the first control node's operation, allowing continuous service during the restart process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the second control node is restarted after failure, then the control node can resume service, but the service must be interrupted to load page descriptors and synchronize data
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads and maintains page descriptor lists in memory before failures occur. When the second control node fails and restarts, the page descriptors are already available in the first control node's memory, eliminating the need to reload them from persistent storage during recovery, thus reducing service interruption time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a synchronization message mechanism as an intermediary between the first and second control nodes. The first control node sends synchronization messages containing page descriptor information to the recovering second control node, enabling rapid data transfer without full service interruption
2Reliability
If the second control node loads page descriptors from the first control node during restart, then data consistency is maintained, but the first control node's operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control node functions by maintaining separate page descriptor lists in each control node's memory. The first control node continues handling storage requests while independently maintaining its page descriptor list, which can be transferred to the second control node without interrupting the first node's operation
Solution Approach 2:
The first control node continues to process storage requests continuously while the page descriptor synchronization occurs in the background. The useful action of handling storage requests is not interrupted by the data synchronization process, maintaining system productivity during the restart scenario
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method, a device, and a computer program product for managing a storage system. The storage system includes a first control node, a second control node, and a persistent storage device, the first control node being in an activated state, and the second control node being in a state of transfer from a non-activated state to an activated state. A method includes: loading a first list of page descriptors of the storage system to the second control node to generate a second list of page descriptors at the second control node, the first list including a portion of multiple page descriptors of the storage system that has been modified but has not been flushed to the persistent storage device; receiving a synchronization message from the first control node that indicates that the first list has been modified by the first control node; and updating the second list at the second control node based on the synchronization message. Further, a corresponding device and a corresponding program product are provided. With the example implementations of the present disclosure, the start performance of the control nodes in the storage system can be improved.