Storage Pool Replacement With Write Forwarding During Data Migration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data migration and storage systems in storage networks face challenges in efficiently managing data access requests during storage pool replacements, particularly in decentralized environments, leading to potential data loss and security vulnerabilities.

Innovation Solution

A distributed computing system with dispersed storage and task processing units that utilize dispersed error encoding and decoding, along with a decentralized agreement protocol, to securely store and retrieve data across geographically diverse locations, ensuring data integrity and security while tolerating failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If data is stored in a centralized storage pool, then storage management is simple, but data loss risk increases during storage pool replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage management complexityVSAvoiddata loss risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into multiple data slices that are distributed across different storage units (first storage unit, second storage unit, etc.). This segmentation ensures that no single storage failure can result in complete data loss, as each data slice can be retrieved from different storage units. The data is divided into first data slices stored in first storage units and second data slices stored in second storage units, creating redundancy and fault tolerance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different storage units are assigned different roles and characteristics based on local requirements. Some storage units are designated as first storage units while others are second storage units, with each having specific functions. The system allows selective access to different storage units based on data slice requirements, optimizing reliability without requiring uniform storage infrastructure across all units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If storage pool replacement is performed, then storage capacity is updated, but data access requests may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoiddata access request loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Before the storage pool is replaced or reconfigured, the system performs preliminary actions to ensure data integrity. The controller identifies all data slices that need to be accessed and retrieves them from their current storage units before the replacement occurs. This preliminary data retrieval ensures that no data access requests are lost during the storage pool replacement process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller continuously monitors data access requests and storage unit status. When a data access request is received, the controller feedback-loop identifies the appropriate data slices and ensures they are retrieved from the correct storage units, even as the storage pool configuration changes. This feedback mechanism prevents information loss during dynamic storage reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If decentralized storage is implemented, then data reliability improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller is designed as a multi-functional component that handles diverse operations including data slice identification, storage unit selection, data retrieval, and access request management. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single controller unit, the system achieves decentralized storage benefits without proportionally increasing overall system complexity. The controller universally manages all data operations regardless of which specific storage units are involved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary between data access requests and the distributed storage units. It receives access requests, identifies the relevant data slices, determines which storage units hold the required data, and coordinates the retrieval process. This intermediary role simplifies the interface for data access while maintaining decentralized storage architecture, reducing the complexity burden on individual storage units and clients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260050390A1Processing a Data Access Request During Replacement of a Storage Pool of a Storage Network

Publication Date: 2026.02.19 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

A storage network is operable to identify a second storage pool to replace a first storage pool. Replication of data from the first storage pool to the second storage pool is initiated. Prior to completion of the replication of the data, a new data object write request for the first storage pool is received, where the new data object write request relates to at least a portion of a new data object to be stored in the storage network. Prior to completion of the replication of the data, the new data object write request is forwarded, by one or more storage units of the first storage pool, to one or more storage units of the second storage pool for processing.