Storage Switch Port Status Readout via RDMA
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage apparatuses require a significant amount of time to read out port status from an Ethernet switch, which leads to performance degradation due to long processor waiting times and is not suitable for high-core access scenarios, especially when multiple management servers need to process simultaneous requests.
Innovation Solution
A storage apparatus with a switch processor that stores port status data in memory, allowing storage controllers to access and read out port statuses in a short time through a management interface connected to data ports, utilizing RDMA data transfer to achieve sub-millisecond readout times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If SNMP or Telemetry is used to read out port status from the Ethernet switch through the management port, then the port status can be monitored, but the readout time is one second or more which causes processor waiting time and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The switch processor pre-acquires port status from the switch integrated circuit and stores it in memory before any storage controller needs to read it. This preliminary action eliminates the need for storage controllers to wait during status acquisition, reducing processor waiting time while maintaining monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The port status reading function is extracted from the storage controllers and centralized in the switch processor. The switch processor independently acquires and stores status data, allowing storage controllers to simply read pre-stored data from memory without performing the time-consuming acquisition operation themselves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple storage controllers simultaneously access the management interface to read port status, then comprehensive monitoring is achieved, but the readout process becomes a bottleneck affecting system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The switch processor pre-acquires and stores port status data in memory before any storage controller needs it. This allows multiple storage controllers to simultaneously read from the pre-stored data without creating access bottlenecks, maintaining multi-controller monitoring capability while preserving system throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple storage controllers share a common data source (the memory storing port status) rather than each controller independently accessing the switch integrated circuit. This merging of the data source eliminates redundant access operations and allows simultaneous reading without performance degradation.
3Speed
If the switch processor stores port status in memory for rapid access, then readout time is reduced to sub-millisecond, but additional memory resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The switch processor stores only the essential port status data (up/down state of each data port) in memory rather than complete switch configuration or detailed performance metrics. This partial storage approach achieves sub-millisecond readout speed while minimizing memory resource consumption to only what is necessary for the monitoring function.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage apparatus in which a controller reads out a port status of a switch in a short period of time is disclosed. The storage apparatus includes a switch and a plurality of storage controllers configured to communicate with each other through the switch. The switch includes a switch processor, a plurality of data ports, a switch integrated circuit, a memory, and a management interface. One of the plurality of data ports and a management port of the management interface are connected to each other. The switch processor stores a status of the plurality of data ports acquired from the switch integrated circuit into the memory. The plurality of storage controllers access the management interface through the plurality of data ports and the management port and receive the statuses of the plurality of data ports stored in the memory from the management interface.