Storage Virtualization Queues for VM Flexibility and Data Rate

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage virtualization technologies face challenges in balancing CPU resource usage with flexible resource and virtual machine management, leading to decreased data rates when software-based solutions are used and limited flexibility when hardware-based solutions are employed.

Innovation Solution

A storage virtualization device that includes a submission queue (SQ) and completion queue (CQ) implemented in hardware, supporting virtual machines through a single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV) adapter, storage virtualization core, and interposition layer to manage command and completion processing, thereby optimizing resource utilization and data rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If software-based virtual storage technology is used, then flexible resource management function and flexible virtual machine management function are provided, but CPU resources are consumed excessively leading to decreased data rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexible resource management functionVSAvoiddata rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two parts: a hardware-based storage virtualization device that handles data transfer operations to improve data rate, and a software-based virtualization layer that maintains flexible resource and VM management functions. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its strength without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A hardware storage virtualization device acts as an intermediary between the virtualization layer and physical storage devices. It receives commands from the virtualization layer, manages submission queues and completion queues, and handles communication with storage devices, thereby offloading CPU-intensive operations from the software layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If hardware-based virtual storage technology is used, then CPU resources are saved and data rate is increased, but flexible resource management function and flexible virtual machine management function are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidflexible resource management function

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges hardware-based storage virtualization (for high data rate and low CPU usage) with software-based virtualization layer (for flexible resource and VM management). The hardware device handles I/O operations while the software layer manages resource allocation and VM lifecycle, creating a hybrid solution that combines advantages of both approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The storage virtualization device is designed to support multiple virtual machines and provide multiple functions including command queuing, completion tracking, and communication with various storage devices. The virtualization layer provides universal resource management capabilities that can adapt to different VM configurations and resource requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If software-based virtualization layer is used for resource management, then flexible resource management is achieved, but CPU resources are consumed leading to decreased data rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexible virtual machine management functionVSAvoidCPU resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts CPU-intensive I/O management operations from the software virtualization layer and relocates them to a dedicated hardware storage virtualization device. The hardware device independently manages submission queues, completion queues, and storage device communication, freeing CPU resources for VM management tasks while maintaining flexible resource allocation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12578906B2Storage virtualization device supporting virtual machine, operation method thereof, and operation method of system having the same

Publication Date: 2026.03.17 MANGOBOOST INC

AI summary

Disclosed is an operation method of a storage virtualization device which communicates with a host device and a storage device set, includes a first submission queue (SQ) and a first completion queue (CQ), and supports a first virtual machine executable by the host device. The method includes fetching a first command of a first virtual submission queue (VSQ) of the first virtual machine, distributing the first command thus fetched to the first SQ, providing the first command of the first SQ to the storage device set, receiving, from the storage device set, a first completion indicating that the first command is processed, wherein the first completion is written in the first CQ, distributing the first completion of the first CQ to a virtualization layer, and writing the first completion thus distributed to a first virtual completion queue (VCQ) of the first virtual machine.