Storage Snapshot Management via Load Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage systems face limitations in creating a large quantity of writable snapshots due to performance and capacity bottlenecks, where a single original snapshot is heavily accessed, leading to deteriorated access performance and capacity constraints.

Innovation Solution

A management computer manages configuration and performance information of multiple storage apparatuses to control the creation and management of writable snapshots, ensuring that disk performance, controller performance, and capacity limits are not exceeded, by distributing the load across multiple storage apparatuses and logical volumes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a single original snapshot is shared among a large quantity of writable snapshots, then the quantity of writable snapshots is increased, but access performance deteriorates due to disk and controller bottlenecks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of writable snapshotsVSAvoidaccess performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the storage system into multiple storage apparatuses and distributes original snapshots across them. Instead of concentrating all writable snapshots on a single original snapshot in one storage apparatus, the system segments the workload across multiple apparatuses, thereby reducing the access burden on any single disk or controller and maintaining performance while increasing the total number of writable snapshots that can be created.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If a single original snapshot is shared among a large quantity of writable snapshots, then the quantity of writable snapshots is increased, but capacity limits are exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of writable snapshotsVSAvoidstorage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage capacity across multiple storage apparatuses. By distributing original snapshots and their associated writable snapshots across multiple apparatuses, the system effectively pools the total available capacity, allowing a larger number of writable snapshots to be created without exceeding the capacity of any single apparatus.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the user manually manages snapshot creation to avoid limits, then performance and capacity limits are respected, but the complexity of operation increases and large quantity creation in single operation becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance with performance and capacity limitsVSAvoidsnapshot creation operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automatic management functionality that allows users to input only the desired number of writable snapshots and performance/capacity requirements. The system then automatically calculates and distributes the snapshots across multiple storage apparatuses, selecting appropriate original snapshots and managing the creation process without user intervention. This self-service approach maintains compliance with system limits while simplifying user operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates automatic monitoring of performance and capacity metrics, using this feedback to dynamically adjust snapshot distribution decisions. The management apparatus continuously monitors the state of storage apparatuses and uses this information to make intelligent allocation decisions, ensuring that performance and capacity limits are respected while maximizing the number of writable snapshots that can be created.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9170749B2Management system and control method for computer system for managing a storage apparatus

Publication Date: 2015.10.27 HITACHI VANTARA LTD

AI summary

To provide a storage management technique for creating and managing, with single operation by a user, a large quantity of writable snapshots, which satisfy a requirement desired by the user, while controlling a use form of a storage apparatus not to exceed limits of the performance and the capacity of the storage apparatus. Therefore, a management computer manages configuration information and performance information of plural storage apparatuses and an operation state of a writable snapshot. When a writable snapshot is created, the management computer controls, concerning an original snapshot, a use form of the storage apparatuses not to exceed a disk performance limit and a controller performance limit and a capacity limit of a storage on the basis of the number of writable snapshots to be created and a performance requirement (IOPS) and a capacity requirement of the writable snapshot.