Storage OS Plug-in Module for Virtual Machine Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity of storage operating environments, especially with virtual machines, necessitates efficient management of components and storage services, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A processor-executable plug-in module interfaces with a host services module to manage virtual machines, providing information on storage-related services, replicating virtual machines, and maintaining event notifications, while generating hierarchical data structures for virtual storage devices and location maps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual machines are used in storage environments, then storage service capabilities are enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage operating system as an intermediary layer between the physical storage infrastructure and virtual machines. This storage OS manages storage services, handles virtual machine storage requirements, and abstracts the complexity from both the hardware layer and the virtual machine layer, enabling enhanced storage capabilities while containing system complexity within the management layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional layers: physical storage devices, storage operating system, virtual machines, and host platform. Each layer handles specific functions independently, allowing storage service capabilities to be enhanced in virtual machines without proportionally increasing overall system complexity, as each segment manages its own complexity independently.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive event monitoring is implemented for virtual machines, then management information completeness is improved, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts event monitoring and management functions into a dedicated storage operating system layer, separating comprehensive event monitoring from the virtual machine execution layer. This allows complete management information to be captured without the virtual machines themselves bearing the computational overhead, as the storage OS handles monitoring independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage operating system implements self-service mechanisms for event monitoring, where the system automatically tracks and manages its own events without requiring continuous external intervention. This reduces computational overhead by automating the monitoring process within the storage OS layer rather than requiring host platform resources for comprehensive monitoring.
3Ease of operation
If detailed hierarchical data structures are generated for virtual storage devices, then information accessibility is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating and maintaining hierarchical data structures for virtual storage devices in the storage operating system. These structures are prepared in advance, organizing storage information hierarchically before queries are made, which improves information accessibility without requiring extensive processing time during actual information retrieval operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system are provided for managing components of a storage operating environment having a plurality of virtual machines that can access a storage device managed by a storage system. The virtual machines are executed by a host platform that also executes a processor-executable host services module that interfaces with at least a processor-executable plug-in module for providing information regarding the virtual machines and assists in storage related services, for example, replicating the virtual machines.