Storage System Access Path State Update Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems fail to quickly switch to more efficient access paths based on load states and failure occurrences due to complex configurations and inadequate handling of I/O load conditions.
Innovation Solution
A storage system with an access path management unit that calculates I/O speeds, selects candidate paths, and updates their states to optimize performance by excluding slower paths and prioritizing faster ones, allowing for efficient load distribution and failover.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access paths are made redundant with different characteristics (SAN and LAN), then system availability is improved, but the configuration becomes complicated and load conditions are not considered
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the operational parameters of access paths based on measured I/O speeds and load conditions. By calculating I/O speeds for each access path and comparing them against thresholds, the system adjusts which paths are active without requiring complex manual configuration or license management
Solution Approach 2:
The storage system automatically monitors and evaluates its own access paths by calculating I/O speeds and determining path availability independently. The system self-manages path selection and state updates without requiring external license servers or complex management infrastructure
2Reliability
If access path selection is based on periodic checking of operation state, then path selection is determined, but quick handling of failure occurrence is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors access path performance by calculating I/O speeds and using this feedback to dynamically update path states. When failures or performance degradation occur, the feedback mechanism quickly detects changes and switches to alternative paths, achieving both fast failure handling and minimal response time
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates and stores I/O speed metrics for each access path, maintaining up-to-date performance information ready for immediate use. This preliminary data collection enables rapid path selection when failures occur, eliminating the need for time-consuming periodic checks at the moment of failure
3Productivity
If I/O speed calculation is performed for every predetermined calculation cycle, then path performance is evaluated, but system resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs I/O speed calculations at predetermined intervals rather than continuously, balancing the need for accurate path performance evaluation with resource conservation. This periodic measurement approach maintains productivity by regularly updating path states while reducing system resource consumption compared to continuous monitoring
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system includes: an access path management unit managing a state of each access path for each logical disk; an I/O speed calculation unit storing, for each of the access paths, a data size and required time obtained when an I/O is executed, and calculates an I/O speed for every calculation cycle; a path candidate selection unit selecting an access path in the available state as an I/O use candidate; and a path candidate exclusion unit which excludes access paths of which speed is slow from the candidates, using a highest speed value among the speed values of the access paths selected as candidates, and the access path management unit sequentially changes the states of the access paths, out of the remaining candidates, to the I/O use states, in order of the I/O speed from the fastest until the number of access paths reaches the maximum number of paths.