Storage Tiering Segments User Data from Redundant Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data storage tiering systems face inefficiencies in managing the promotion and demotion of data between storage tiers, particularly in separating user data from redundant data during reallocation, which can lead to unnecessary resource consumption and tiering overhead.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that separates user data from redundant data during reallocation, allowing user data to be stored on higher tiers while demoting redundant data to lower tiers, thereby conserving resources and optimizing storage allocation without additional tiering overhead, using a storage engine that segments data, manages metadata for data reconstruction, and performs scheduled reallocation cycles based on usage characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated storage tiering moves data between tiers based on access frequency, then storage efficiency and cost are improved, but redundant data consumes unnecessary resources on high-performance tiers
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments protected data into two distinct components: user data and redundant data. This segmentation allows independent management of each component during tiering operations, enabling redundant data to be demoted to lower tiers while user data remains on higher tiers, thus resolving the contradiction by separating the functional requirements of data protection from data accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts redundant data from protected data structures, allowing it to be independently managed and relocated. By taking out redundant data from the combined protected data unit, the system can demote it to lower storage tiers without affecting user data on higher tiers, eliminating unnecessary resource consumption while maintaining storage efficiency.
2Reliability
If protected data is moved as a unit between tiers, then data integrity is maintained, but resource consumption and tiering overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments protected data into user data and redundant data components, allowing selective movement of only the necessary user data portion between tiers. This segmentation maintains data integrity through metadata tracking while reducing the volume of data requiring movement, thereby decreasing tiering overhead and resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces metadata as an intermediary structure that tracks the relationship between user data and redundant data across different tiers. This metadata mediator enables the system to maintain data integrity and reconstruction capability without moving entire protected data units, thus reducing tiering overhead while preserving reliability.
3Reliability
If redundant data is stored on high-performance tiers with user data, then data reconstruction capability is ensured, but storage resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments protected data storage locations, placing user data on high-performance tiers and redundant data on lower-tier storage. This spatial segmentation allows the system to maintain data reconstruction capability through metadata tracking while optimizing storage resource allocation by matching data types with appropriate tier characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality optimization by storing user data (requiring fast access) on high-performance tiers and redundant data (requiring less frequent access) on lower-tier storage. This localized optimization ensures data reconstruction capability where needed while eliminating storage resource waste in inappropriate locations.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a system that allows for the efficient management of reallocating data between tiers of an automated storage tiering system. In certain configurations, protected data that is stored within the storage system may include a user data portion and a redundant data portion. Accordingly, to conserve space on higher storage tiers, the system may separate user data from the redundant data when reallocating data between tiers. For example, the system may only allocate the user data portion to higher storage tiers thereby conserving the space that would otherwise be taken by the redundant data, which remains, or is demoted to a lower tier. Moreover, the reallocation may occur during scheduled reallocation cycles, and accordingly, the reallocation of the separated protected data may occur without any additional tiering overhead.