Storage Space Allocation Across Multiple Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in managing storage spaces effectively, particularly when workloads become high, leading to slowed response times and potential system overload, which can impact user experience and require time-consuming data migration.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that select non-overlapping groups of storage devices from multiple systems to allocate storage space based on workload balance, creating a user storage system by distributing slices across these systems to maintain efficient workload distribution and prevent data migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If storage spaces are allocated from a single storage system, then allocation simplicity is maintained, but workload imbalance and response speed degradation occur when capacity limits are reached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage allocation process by dividing storage spaces into slices and distributing them across multiple storage systems. When a storage allocation request is received, the system divides the requested storage space into multiple slices and allocates these slices to different storage systems, thereby balancing the workload and maintaining response speed even when individual storage systems reach capacity limits.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple storage systems are used to increase capacity, then storage capacity is improved, but system complexity and data migration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal storage management system that can allocate storage spaces across multiple storage systems using a unified approach. The same storage management module handles allocations from any storage system, applying consistent slicing and distribution logic. This multi-functional system manages diverse storage resources through a single interface, reducing operational complexity despite increased capacity.
3Productivity
If storage devices are densely packed in one system, then device utilization is high, but failure risk and maintenance complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage devices into groups across multiple storage systems and distributes slices from different groups to different systems. This segmentation ensures that storage devices are utilized across multiple systems rather than concentrated in one, maintaining high overall device utilization while reducing the risk that a single system failure will cause data loss or require complex maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques involve managing a storage space. In response to receiving an allocation request for allocating a storage space, a storage space size and a slice size are obtained. A first storage system and a second storage system are selected from multiple storage systems, the first storage system and the second storage system includes a first storage device group and a second storage device group respectively, and the first storage device group does not overlap the second storage device group. A first slice group and a second slice group is obtained from the first storage system and the second storage system respectively, on the basis of the size of the storage space and the size of the slice. A user storage system is built at least on the basis of the first slice group and the second slice group, so as to respond to the allocation request.