Token-Associated Distributed Transactions Without Global Locks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid-state drives are designed to conform to hard disk drive standards, making it difficult to leverage the unique characteristics of flash memory for enhanced features and maintain a consistent system state in distributed transaction processing, which limits system bandwidth and throughput.
Innovation Solution
A storage cluster architecture that utilizes erasure coding and redundant metadata copies across storage nodes, with token-associated execution and distributed authorities to manage transactions without a global lock, enabling data reconstruction and system operation continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a global lock is applied during distributed transaction processing, then system state consistency is maintained, but system bandwidth and throughput are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized locking mechanism into distributed segment locks. Instead of one global lock, multiple segment locks are distributed across different storage nodes. Each storage node manages its own segment locks independently, allowing parallel transaction processing across the cluster while maintaining consistency within each segment. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling concurrent access (improving throughput) while preserving data consistency (maintaining reliability).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary logging mechanism that records transaction operations and their associated segment locks. This log acts as a mediator that allows transactions to be processed and committed asynchronously without requiring simultaneous global lock acquisition. The logging intermediary enables throughput improvement by decoupling transaction submission from commit coordination, while still ensuring consistency through the ordered processing of logged operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If solid-state drives conform to hard disk drive standards, then compatibility is improved, but unique aspects of flash memory cannot be leveraged for enhanced features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing flash-optimized features at the storage node level while maintaining HDD compatibility at the interface level. Each storage node can utilize flash-specific capabilities such as high-speed random access, wear leveling, and garbage collection locally, while presenting a standardized interface to clients. This allows the system to achieve both compatibility (through standard interfaces) and enhanced features (through flash-optimized backend operations).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal storage cluster architecture that can accommodate multiple storage media types. The system is designed to work with flash-based storage nodes while maintaining compatibility with traditional HDD interfaces. This multi-functionality allows the same system to leverage unique flash characteristics for performance enhancement without sacrificing broad compatibility with existing applications and protocols.
3Productivity
If data is distributed across multiple storage nodes, then system operation continuity is improved, but maintaining consistent system state becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through distributed logging and acknowledgment protocols. Each storage node records its state changes and segment lock status in a log, providing feedback to the transaction coordinator and other nodes. This feedback enables the system to track and verify consistency across distributed nodes, allowing operation continuity while maintaining detectable and correctable consistency states through the feedback loop.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing segment lock ownership and logging structures before transactions occur. Storage nodes pre-configure their segment lock management capabilities and logging infrastructure in advance. This preliminary setup enables rapid transaction processing and consistent state maintenance during actual operations, as the framework for ensuring consistency is already in place rather than being constructed during each transaction.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method comprising receiving a command, generating a transaction responsive to receiving the command, wherein a token associated with the transaction indicates that a data structure having ownership of the transaction has permission to perform the transaction, and writing data into storage memory in a storage node of the storage system that is allocated to the data structure in accordance with the transaction, wherein the storage node includes differing capacities and differing types of solid state storage.