Storage System Ownership Management for Redundant Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) systems suffer from high latency issues, making them unsuitable for high-performance applications like remote storage digital video recorders (RS-DVRs), where fast access to large data volumes is required, as they take too long to retrieve data from slower storage tiers like magnetic tape.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a storage system with a first tier using random access media like hard disks and a second tier using sequential access media like magnetic tape, while employing deduplicated replication techniques, unique identifiers, and ownership management between storage tiers to reduce access time and cost, including features like 'data-less' file movement and ownership swapping to optimize data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional HSM systems use magnetic tape for second storage tier, then storage cost is reduced, but data access time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-loads data from the magnetic tape second storage tier into the hard disk first storage tier before it is actually needed. By anticipating data access requirements and loading data in advance, the system eliminates the time penalty of tape access while maintaining the cost benefits of tape storage for the majority of data.
Solution Approach 2:
The hard disk first storage tier acts as an intermediary between the magnetic tape second storage tier and the user access point. Data is transferred from tape to hard disk, where it can be quickly accessed when needed. This intermediary layer provides fast access to frequently needed data while allowing less frequently accessed data to remain on cost-effective tape storage.
2Speed
If all data is stored on hard disk for fast access, then data retrieval speed is improved, but storage cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different storage qualities to different data based on access patterns. Frequently accessed data is stored on fast but expensive hard disk storage, while less frequently accessed data is stored on slow but cost-effective magnetic tape storage. This local differentiation of storage quality optimizes both performance and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of keeping all data on hard disk, the system maintains only the necessary portion of data on fast storage - specifically, data that is currently being accessed or is anticipated to be needed soon. The rest of the data remains on tape, providing cost savings while maintaining adequate performance for active data.
3Speed
If data is moved from tape to hard disk on demand, then access speed is improved, but system latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than waiting for on-demand requests to move data from tape to hard disk, the system proactively loads data into the hard disk tier in advance based on access patterns and predictions. This preliminary action eliminates the latency that would otherwise occur when data must be transferred from tape at the moment of access.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system according to one embodiment includes a first storage tier; a second storage tier; logic for storing instances of a file in the first storage tier and the second storage tier; logic for receiving a request to access the file or instance thereof from a user in a group of users; logic for providing the user requesting access to the file with remote access to an instance of the file on the first storage tier that is not being used by any other user in the group of users; logic for setting an ownership status of the instance of the file on the first storage tier to owned by the user requesting access to the file; and logic for setting an ownership status of an unused instance of the file on the second storage tier from owned by the user requesting access to the file to unowned or owned by a second user which previously owned the instance of the file on the first storage tier. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also presented.