Tiered File Archiving via Metadata Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current archiving techniques for files in file storage systems incur high costs due to host-based processing, metadata management, and inventory maintenance when moving data from online to offline storage, exceeding the cost savings from offline data storage.
Innovation Solution
A method that identifies files for archiving, maintains metadata online while transferring data to offline storage, using a tiered storage system to store a portion of the file online and another portion offline, and allows for efficient retrieval and return of data to online storage as needed, eliminating the need for offline metadata processing and inventory management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If files are archived by moving all data and metadata to offline storage, then storage costs are reduced, but host-based processing costs and inventory management costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file into two portions: metadata remains on online storage while only the data portion is moved to offline storage. This segmentation allows the system to maintain low storage costs for large data while avoiding the complexity of managing and processing metadata offline, thus resolving the contradiction between storage cost reduction and processing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential data portion from the file for offline storage, leaving the metadata on online storage. This extraction principle eliminates the need for host-based processing of metadata and inventory management, reducing processing complexity while still achieving storage cost savings.
2Ease of operation
If metadata is stored offline with archived files, then storage organization is improved, but host-based processing and inventory maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an online metadata catalogue as an intermediary that indexes and tracks files stored offline. This intermediary allows the system to maintain excellent storage organization and ease of file location while avoiding all host-based processing and inventory maintenance costs, as the metadata remains accessible online without requiring offline management.
3Quantity of substance
If all file data is moved to offline storage, then storage capacity utilization is improved, but data retrieval speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file into metadata and data portion, with metadata remaining on fast online storage and only the data portion moved to offline storage. This segmentation enables rapid retrieval of metadata information while maximizing offline storage capacity utilization, resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and retrieval speed.
4Loss of information
If an inventory of metadata and file locations is maintained offline, then file tracking is improved, but overall archiving costs exceed savings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an online metadata catalogue as an intermediary that provides comprehensive file location tracking and indexing. This online catalogue eliminates the need for offline inventory maintenance while preserving complete file tracking capabilities, thereby eliminating the costly host-based processing and inventory management that would otherwise negate the savings from offline storage.
Data Source
AI summary
In one general embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes identifying a file to be archived, where such file is stored within a first storage area of a system, archiving the file by maintaining a first portion of the file within the first storage area of the system, and transferring a second portion of the file from the first storage area of the system to a second storage area of the system, and performing an action associated with the file, utilizing one or more of the first portion of the file and the second portion of the file.