Storage Reconfiguration Safety via Operation Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reconfiguring arrays of disks in storage systems often results in data loss due to the erasure of large numbers of disks, leading to reluctance among system administrators to implement changes without external help, thereby increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
A method where a system administrator formulates a proposed reconfiguration, generates a record of operations during an evaluation period, and compares it to the proposed changes to determine if data would become inaccessible, allowing for safe implementation without external assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reconfiguration of disk arrays is implemented, then system adaptability and performance optimization are improved, but data loss risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by recording operations during an evaluation period before reconfiguration, and by creating a virtual copy of the storage system configuration. This allows the administrator to simulate the reconfiguration effects on recorded operations before actually implementing the change, thereby preventing data loss while enabling adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the storage system configuration that can be simulated without affecting the actual system. This virtual copy includes recorded operation data that can be analyzed to predict reconfiguration impacts, allowing safe experimentation and decision-making before real reconfiguration occurs.
2Ease of operation
If reconfiguration is performed without external help, then operational independence and cost reduction are improved, but error risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by providing built-in tools that automatically record operations, simulate reconfiguration effects, and generate recommendations. The administrator can independently perform reconfiguration decisions using these integrated tools without requiring external expert help, while the system automatically ensures safety through its analysis capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback by recording actual operations during the evaluation period and comparing them against the proposed reconfiguration. This feedback mechanism allows the administrator to see the potential impact of reconfiguration decisions in real-time, enabling informed independent decisions while maintaining high reliability through automated analysis.
3Measurement precision
If evaluation period is extended, then data loss detection accuracy is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by recording operations during a limited evaluation period rather than continuously monitoring indefinitely. This partial evaluation is sufficient to detect data loss risks because it captures operations during the critical transition window, balancing detection accuracy with time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent accelerates the evaluation process by focusing recording and analysis on the critical evaluation period when reconfiguration is proposed, rather than continuously analyzing all historical operations. This selective approach rushes through the essential analysis quickly, improving detection accuracy for relevant data loss scenarios while minimizing overall time consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reconfiguring a storage system communicating with a host, consisting of the steps of formulating a proposed reconfiguration of the storage system from an original configuration, and generating a record of operations of the storage system during an evaluation period in the original configuration. In response to the record, the method further consists of making a determination whether data accessed by the host in the original configuration during the evaluation period would have been unavailable to the host if the proposed reconfiguration had been implemented prior to the evaluation period. In response to the determination, a decision is made whether to implement the proposed reconfiguration.