Storage System High Availability Pair Data Duplication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disaster recovery systems fail to effectively utilize resources at remote sites due to limitations in handling reads/writes, leading to inefficiencies in data duplication and resource management.
Innovation Solution
A storage system configuration that sets up a High Availability pair between two logical volumes, allowing either storage apparatus to handle access requests, manages data duplication during writes, and optimizes read requests by determining data synchronization status, thereby enabling efficient resource utilization at remote sites.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the storage system allows reads/writes only at the storage apparatus in the main site and copies data to the storage apparatus in the remote site, then data consistency and availability during failures are improved, but resource utilization at the remote site deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic role assignment where storage apparatuses can switch between main site and remote site roles based on operational status. The system dynamically determines which apparatus handles reads/writes based on real-time conditions, allowing the remote site to actively participate in data handling operations and improving resource utilization while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the storage system by introducing virtual identifiers and enabling both storage apparatuses to receive access requests simultaneously. The system modifies data handling parameters to allow parallel reads/writes at both sites, transforming the remote site from a passive copy target to an active data handling node, thereby improving resource utilization.
2Reliability
If the storage system copies data to the remote site for disaster recovery, then data availability during failures is improved, but the complexity of the storage system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes both storage apparatuses universally capable of handling read and write access requests regardless of their physical location (main site or remote site). By assigning virtual identifiers and enabling both apparatuses to receive access requests, the system eliminates the need for complex separate handling mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses virtual identifiers to create a virtual copy of the storage apparatuses in the host computer's address space. This virtual copying approach allows the host to access data through either physical apparatus without complex switching logic, simplifying the system architecture while enabling disaster recovery functionality.
3Reliability
If the storage system manages data duplication during writes, then data consistency is improved, but processing time for write operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous data duplication during write operations by allowing both storage apparatuses to simultaneously handle read requests while write requests are processed. The system maintains continuous data synchronization between both apparatuses without interrupting ongoing operations, ensuring data consistency while minimizing write processing time through parallel operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system includes a first storage apparatus including a first logical volume and a second storage apparatus including a second logical volume. The first and second logical volumes are set as a High Availability pair and associated with a virtual volume. When receiving a write request to the virtual volume, the storage system manages storage area in the first logical volume regarding to the write request as storage area during data duplication, writes data in duplicate, in order from the first logical volume to the second logical volume. When receiving a read request to the virtual volume, the first storage apparatus waits for completion of the data duplication and reads data from the first logical volume if the storage area is during the data duplication, and the first storage apparatus reads data from the first logical volume if the storage area is not during the data duplication.