Storage System Page Descriptor Management via Resource Pool Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems face inefficiencies in managing page descriptors, leading to slow data flushing and I/O delays due to the use of circular queues, which do not follow the time sequence of page writes, causing queue saturation and performance issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a resource pool to manage page descriptors and auxiliary descriptors, where auxiliary descriptors maintain the time sequence of page writes, allowing for flexible and efficient resource allocation and release, and overprovisioning the queue to prevent saturation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If circular queues are used to manage page descriptors, then the storage system can maintain a simple data structure, but the queue becomes saturated and causes I/O delays due to not following the time sequence of page writes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the page descriptor management into two separate components: a circular queue for maintaining write-time sequence (using auxiliary descriptors) and a resource pool for actual page descriptor storage and allocation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain temporal ordering without the limitations of a single circular queue structure, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and flushing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces auxiliary descriptors as intermediary elements that track the write-time sequence in the circular queue, while actual page descriptors are managed separately in the resource pool. These auxiliary descriptors act as mediators that maintain the temporal relationship without constraining the page descriptor management, enabling both sequence preservation and performance improvement.
2Ease of manufacture
If page descriptors are managed in a circular queue, then resource allocation is straightforward, but the queue saturates and causes delays in data flushing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides resource management into two independent pools: one for auxiliary descriptors (in the circular queue) and one for page descriptors (in the resource pool). This segmentation allows the page descriptor resource pool to be independently managed and allocated without being constrained by the circular queue's saturation, eliminating I/O delays while maintaining allocation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the management parameters of page descriptors from a fixed circular queue structure to a dynamic resource pool structure with separate allocation and release operations. This parameter change allows flexible resource allocation based on actual needs rather than queue position, preventing saturation and reducing I/O delays.
3Device complexity
If the storage system uses traditional queue management for page descriptors, then the system structure remains simple, but performance issues arise due to queue saturation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the descriptor management system into auxiliary descriptors (simple circular queue) and page descriptors (dynamic resource pool). This segmentation maintains the simplicity of the circular queue structure for sequencing while adding a separate resource pool for efficient page descriptor management, improving performance without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary descriptors serve as intermediaries that maintain the simple circular queue structure for tracking write sequences, while the resource pool handles actual page descriptor operations. This intermediary layer allows the system to preserve structural simplicity while achieving high performance through independent resource pool management.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for managing a storage system involve flushing a target page in a cache device to a persistent storage device of the storage system. The techniques further involve releasing a resource storing a page descriptor of the target page to a resource pool. The resource pool is configured to provide resources to store page descriptors of pages to be flushed in the cache device. The techniques further involve: if it is determined that an auxiliary descriptor of the target page is located at a tail of a queue of auxiliary descriptors of the pages to be flushed, removing the auxiliary descriptor of the target page from the queue. The auxiliary descriptors of the pages to be flushed are configured to describe the page descriptors of the pages to be flushed. Accordingly, the page flushing performance of the storage system can be improved, thereby improving the input/output performance.