Tape Storage Control Optimizing Parallel Read Seek Times
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Solution Overview
Problem
In tape storage systems with multiple tape drives, the sequential loading of magnetic tapes by a single transport robot leads to uneven reading start times, resulting in prolonged reading times due to shifted parallel reading periods and consistent seek times across all tapes, which hampers the efficiency of data striping.
Innovation Solution
A storage control apparatus that calculates and sets different write start positions for each magnetic tape based on the number of tapes and their mounting order, allowing for varied seek times, and instructs the system to read data from the tape with the longer seek time first, thereby optimizing the reading process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If sequential loading of magnetic tapes is used by a single transport robot, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reading time increases due to uneven reading start times and shifted parallel reading periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations to determine optimal write start positions for each magnetic tape before the actual writing operation. This preliminary positioning ensures that when sequential loading occurs, the reading operations can start from optimized positions that minimize seek time and maximize parallel reading efficiency, thereby reducing overall reading time without changing the transport robot configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different write start positions for different magnetic tapes based on their specific characteristics and mounting order. Each tape receives a customized write start position calculated according to its position in the sequence and its capacity, creating local optimization that compensates for the sequential loading constraint and reduces overall reading time
2Ease of operation
If consistent seek times are maintained across all tapes, then the control is simplified, but the parallel reading efficiency is reduced due to prolonged reading times
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically calculates write start positions for each magnetic tape based on its specific characteristics including capacity, mounting order, and position in the sequence. This dynamic positioning strategy allows the system to optimize seek times for each tape individually while maintaining overall control simplicity, thereby improving parallel reading efficiency without complex control mechanisms
3Ease of manufacture
If data is written from the same position on all tapes, then the write process is simplified, but the reading time increases due to uneven parallel reading periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different write start positions for different magnetic tapes based on their specific characteristics and mounting order. Each tape receives a customized write start position calculated according to its position in the sequence and its capacity, creating local optimization that compensates for the sequential loading constraint and reduces overall reading time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations to determine optimal write start positions for each magnetic tape before the actual writing operation. This preliminary positioning ensures that when sequential loading occurs, the reading operations can start from optimized positions that minimize seek time and maximize parallel reading efficiency, thereby reducing overall reading time without changing the transport robot configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A storage control apparatus controls a tape apparatus including a plurality of tape drives. The storage control apparatus is configured to calculate, when causing the tape apparatus to execute write processing of dividing write data into a predetermined size and writing to a plurality of magnetic tapes, a write start position of the write data for each of the plurality of magnetic tapes where the write start position being different in each of the plurality of magnetic tapes and instruct the tape apparatus with the write start positions, and specify, when a reading range is designated, a read start position indicating a head of data in the reading range for each magnetic tape, and instruct the tape apparatus to read data in the reading range in an order from a magnetic tape of which the read start position is closer to an end of the magnetic tape.