Storage Volume Ownership Transfer in Cluster Controllers

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Solution Overview

Problem

In storage arrangements with clusters of controllers, performance degradation occurs due to failures or faults, as client requests may not be efficiently routed to the optimal storage controller, leading to inefficient data access.

Innovation Solution

An ownership control mechanism automatically transfers ownership of storage volumes between storage controllers based on monitoring request patterns, ensuring that the most optimal controller handles the volume, thereby enhancing performance and redundancy without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If storage volumes are statically assigned to specific storage controllers, then system complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but performance degrades when failures occur and adaptability to changing conditions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidadaptability to failures

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic ownership transfer by monitoring request patterns and automatically transferring storage volume ownership from failed controllers to active controllers. The system transitions from static controller-volume assignments to dynamic reassignment based on real-time system state, allowing the cluster to adapt to failures and optimize performance continuously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The ownership control mechanism continuously monitors request patterns and controller status, using this feedback to determine when ownership transfer should occur. The system measures request distribution across controllers and uses this information to trigger automatic ownership transfers, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to changing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If manual intervention is required to transfer storage volume ownership after failures, then control precision is improved, but productivity decreases and loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefailure detection accuracyVSAvoidperformance recovery speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-diagnosis and self-repair by automatically detecting controller failures and transferring storage volume ownership without human intervention. The ownership control mechanism monitors system state, identifies failed controllers, and executes ownership transfers autonomously, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining precise failure detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures multiple storage controllers in a cluster with defined ownership relationships before failures occur. When failures are detected, the pre-established controller hierarchy and ownership rules enable immediate automatic transfer of ownership, reducing recovery time compared to ad-hoc manual reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If storage controllers are clustered to improve performance and redundancy, then reliability and adaptability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidcontroller cluster complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ownership control mechanism serves multiple functions: it monitors controller status, detects failures, determines optimal ownership assignments, and executes transfers. This multi-functional approach consolidates complex cluster management tasks into a single unified mechanism, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability and performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If automatic ownership transfer is implemented, then productivity is improved and loss of time is reduced, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance optimization speedVSAvoidownership control mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic ownership transfer system uses feedback from request pattern monitoring to trigger transfers only when necessary. By continuously measuring system state and comparing it against optimal configurations, the system activates the complex ownership transfer mechanism only when performance degradation is detected, balancing automation benefits with operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8370571B2Transfer control of a storage volume between storage controllers in a cluster

Publication Date: 2013.02.05 VALTRUS INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

A first storage controller that is part of a cluster of storage controllers includes an interface to communicate with at least one storage subsystem having a storage volume, where the first storage controller is initially assigned to process requests for the storage volume. The first storage controller further includes a processor to receive requests to access the storage volume, where the requests include client requests from one or more client computers and proxy requests from one or more other storage controllers in the cluster. Based on monitoring the client requests and the proxy requests, it is determined that a second of the storage controllers in the cluster is to be assigned to process requests for the storage volume. In response to the determining, control of the storage volume is transferred from the first storage controller to the second storage controller.