Storage System Virtual Volume Capacity Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thin provisioning technologies face challenges in managing storage capacity effectively in coordination with the creation and deletion of virtual machines, making it difficult to efficiently allocate and release storage resources.

Innovation Solution

A computer system that utilizes a storage system to provide storage-level virtual volumes based on thin provisioning technology, allowing for the release of logical volume areas corresponding to virtual machines being deleted, using storage-level virtual volume conversion information managed by the storage system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If thin provisioning technology is used to provide virtual volumes, then storage capacity can be allocated flexibly, but capacity management becomes difficult to coordinate with virtual machine creation and deletion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in virtual volume allocationVSAvoidcomplexity of capacity management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage system receives notifications from the server when virtual machines are created or deleted, and automatically updates the allocation status of logical volumes accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the storage system to dynamically adjust capacity management in response to virtual machine lifecycle events, resolving the coordination difficulty between thin provisioning and VM management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a coordination mechanism where the storage system acts as an intermediary between the server and physical storage devices. Through storage level virtual volume conversion information, the storage system mediates the allocation and release of physical storage resources based on virtual machine status, simplifying the overall capacity management complexity while maintaining flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If storage capacity is allocated dynamically for virtual machines, then resource utilization improves, but tracking and managing allocation status becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage resource utilization efficiencyVSAvoiddifficulty in tracking allocation status

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The storage system maintains conversion information that maps virtual volume identifiers to physical storage locations before actual data writing occurs. This preliminary tracking enables the system to know the allocation status of storage resources in advance, improving resource utilization efficiency while avoiding the information loss that would occur without such pre-established mapping records.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If virtual volumes are created and deleted frequently, then system flexibility increases, but storage capacity management coordination becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in volume creation and deletionVSAvoidreliability of capacity management coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage system implements a feedback mechanism that receives notifications from the server about virtual machine creation and deletion events. This enables reliable coordination by ensuring the storage system is always aware of current virtual machine status and can accurately track which logical volumes should be allocated or released, maintaining reliability despite frequent volume changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9411746B2Computer system, computer and method for performing thin provisioning capacity management in coordination with virtual machines

Publication Date: 2016.08.09 HITACHI VANTARA LTD

AI summary

In the computer system, a storage system provides a storage level virtual volume based on thin provisioning technology, to a physical server on which a virtual machine is defined. The storage system releases the area of the logical volume corresponding to the storage level virtual volume accessed by a virtual machine which is specified to be deleted, on the basis of storage level virtual volume conversion information which is managed by the storage system.