Storage Upgrade Compatibility Validation for Non-Disruptive Remediation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Storage system upgrades face challenges such as incompatibility, inefficiency, lowered reliability, and service disruption due to the addition of new components with different physical form factors, necessitating a non-disruptive upgrade (NDU) that maintains system resources and performance.

Innovation Solution

Establish a connection between new and existing system resources, transfer system controller roles, and maintain backend resources online during upgrades by resolving incompatibilities, allowing seamless integration of new components without disrupting the system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If new components with different physical form factors are added to storage systems, then system capacity and functionality are improved, but compatibility issues and incompatibility arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem capacityVSAvoidcompatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a compatibility validation system that acts as an intermediary between new components and existing storage systems. This system validates compatibility before integration, checking form factors, connection protocols, and system requirements to prevent incompatibility issues from arising in the first place.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary compatibility validation and guided remediation processes before component installation. The system performs advance checks on form factors, connection interfaces, and system requirements, and provides guidance for resolving any incompatibility issues prior to actual integration, ensuring smooth addition of new components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If storage system upgrades are performed, then system performance is improved, but service disruption occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem performanceVSAvoidservice continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the upgrade process into distinct phases: compatibility validation, remediation guidance, controlled installation, and validation. This segmentation allows the system to perform upgrades in a controlled manner that minimizes disruption to ongoing services, with each phase designed to maintain system availability where possible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism through guided remediation that provides real-time guidance during the upgrade process. The system monitors compatibility issues and provides corrective actions, enabling administrators to resolve incompatibility problems without interrupting service operations and ensuring smooth transitions during upgrades.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If compatibility validation processes are implemented, then incompatibility is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidvalidation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service compatibility validation where the system automatically checks new components against existing system requirements, form factors, and connection protocols. The validation process is automated and provides its own guidance for remediation, reducing the need for manual complexity management while maintaining high compatibility standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260016976A1Compatibility validation and guided remediation for non-disruptive storage system upgrades

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 PURE STORAGE INC

AI summary

A request to add or replace a storage system resource is received by one or more controllers of a storage system. A compatibility validation process is executed that evaluates the storage system resource and one or more existing resources of the storage system across multiple system layers. In response to determining an incompatibility of the storage system resource, an alert identifying the incompatibility is generated and a remedial action is recommended.