Storage System Logical Physical Space Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Storage systems using compression technology face inefficiencies due to fluctuating compression rates, leading to insufficient storage capacity despite available unused space, as existing monitoring methods fail to manage pool usage effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computer system with a storage system that allocates unused logical storage areas to virtual volumes, manages physical storage areas for compressed data, and dynamically expands storage capacity when usage thresholds are exceeded, ensuring appropriate pool capacity management even with compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If compression technology is used to reduce storage size, then storage capacity is improved, but storage reliability deteriorates due to insufficient physical space when compression rate is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage space management into two independent dimensions: logical storage area (for capacity planning and allocation) and physical storage area (for actual data storage). This segmentation allows the system to monitor and manage both logical usage and physical usage separately, preventing the reliability issue where logical space appears available but physical space is exhausted due to poor compression rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring both logical usage amount and physical usage amount independently. When either threshold is exceeded, the system can trigger appropriate responses (expanding logical space or physical space). This dual-feedback system ensures that the storage system reliably prevents data loss by detecting space exhaustion in either dimension before it occurs.
2Ease of operation
If only logical usage monitoring is used, then ease of operation is improved, but storage reliability deteriorates due to inability to detect physical space exhaustion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments monitoring into two independent monitoring systems: one for logical usage amount and one for physical usage amount. This segmentation maintains ease of operation by keeping monitoring simple and independent for each dimension, while simultaneously improving reliability by ensuring that neither logical nor physical space exhaustion goes undetected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs more monitoring actions than traditional systems by monitoring both logical and physical usage amounts separately, rather than just logical usage. This excessive monitoring approach ensures that no space exhaustion scenario is missed, thereby improving reliability without significantly complicating operation.
3Reliability
If only physical usage monitoring is used, then storage reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex capacity planning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments capacity planning into two independent planning dimensions: logical capacity planning (based on virtual volume allocations) and physical capacity planning (based on actual storage medium capacity). This segmentation improves reliability by ensuring both dimensions are adequately planned, while maintaining ease of operation by keeping each planning task independent and manageable.
4Quantity of substance
If compression technology is used, then storage efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to need to manage both logical and physical storage areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage management into two independent management systems: logical storage area management and physical storage area management. This segmentation manages complexity by treating each management dimension independently with its own monitoring and expansion mechanisms, rather than attempting to manage the coupled system as a whole. The dual-management approach maintains storage efficiency while preventing complexity from becoming unmanageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages storage capacity, preventing data storage failures by ensuring sufficient physical and logical space is available, even when compression rates are poor, and optimizing storage utilization.
Implementation Method 1
the storage device which has accepted the data write request generates compressed data, and stores the compressed data in the physical area
Data Source
AI summary
The storage system defines, a RAID group having one or more logical devices, and manages the logical devices by assigning them to a pool. When a data write request is received from the host for the virtual volume, the storage system allocates an unused logical storage area in the pool to the virtual volume and writes the data to the storage device having the allocated logical storage area. The storage device compresses the data, stores it in the physical area, and manages the physical area in association with the logical storage region. A computer system may increase the amount of the physical area assigned to the pool when a physical usage amount of the physical area belonging to the pool exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and increase the amount of the logical storage area assigned to the pool when the logical usage amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value.