Thin Provisioned Storage Block Reclamation via Mediator Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face inefficiencies in managing thinly provisioned virtual volumes, as they lack a systematic approach to free physical storage blocks when logical resources are released, leading to suboptimal utilization and potential storage capacity issues.
Innovation Solution
A thin provisioned storage system employs a file management system and a storage manager that utilize tables to track and manage virtual and physical blocks, allowing for efficient deletion and reallocation of storage space across multiple physical devices, ensuring that freed blocks are accurately identified and reused.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If thin provisioning is implemented to allow logical volumes to exceed physical storage capacity, then storage flexibility and virtualization capability are improved, but systematic management of physical block allocation and reclamation becomes complex and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a block allocation table (BAT) and file system block allocation table (FBAT) as intermediary data structures between the file system manager and physical storage devices. These tables act as mediators that track the mapping between logical file system blocks and physical storage blocks, enabling systematic management of thin provisioning without direct complex interactions between the file system and physical devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual or direct block allocation management with an automated bitmap-based tracking system. The bitmap in the BAT automatically tracks which physical blocks are allocated to which logical volumes, substituting complex mechanical management processes with automated data structure-based tracking and reclamation mechanisms.
2Reliability
If physical storage blocks are not systematically reclaimed when logical resources are freed, then storage capacity appears abundant to logical volumes, but physical storage utilization becomes inefficient and capacity issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the file system manager monitors logical block allocation status and communicates with the block allocation table to track physical block usage. When logical blocks are freed, the system receives feedback about available logical space and automatically triggers reclamation of corresponding physical blocks through the BAT, ensuring both capacity availability and efficient utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary tracking of block allocations through the BAT and FBAT structures before physical storage capacity issues arise. By maintaining real-time records of which physical blocks are allocated to which logical volumes, the system proactively manages reclamation rather than reactively addressing capacity problems after they occur.
Data Source
AI summary
A thin provisioned storage system may have a file system manager that presents a logical storage system to a user and a storage management system that manages physical storage devices. When a block of data is freed at the logical layer, the file system manager may identify the freed block and send a command to the physical layer. The physical layer may identify the corresponding physical block or blocks and free those blocks on the physical layer. The storage management system may use a table to manage the location of blocks of data across multiple physical storage devices.