Unified Storage Controller for Multi-Media Data Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data storage systems face challenges in efficiently managing and storing vast amounts of data, particularly 'cold' data that is rarely altered, as they often require multiple separate systems and higher-cost media, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system architecture that utilizes a logical layer for data compression and placement, a media link layer for virtualization and addressing, and a slot layer for physical mapping, allowing data to be distributed across multiple types of storage media such as hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and magnetic tape, optimizing storage based on data access frequency and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple separate data storage systems are used to store vast amounts of data, then data storage capacity is improved, but system complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple types of data storage devices (HDD, SSD, magnetic tape) into a single unified data storage system with a common controller. This merging approach allows the system to achieve large storage capacity while simplifying management, as the controller handles all storage operations through a unified interface rather than requiring separate management of multiple independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller in the patent is designed to universally manage multiple types of storage media through a single interface. It can allocate data across different storage device types based on various criteria (access frequency, data type, cost considerations), making the system multi-functional and adaptable to different storage needs without requiring separate specialized systems.
2Reliability
If high-cost storage media is used to store vast amounts of data, then data storage reliability and speed are improved, but storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allocating different types of data to different storage media based on their specific characteristics. Frequently accessed data is stored on faster, more reliable media (SSD, HDD), while less frequently accessed data is stored on lower-cost media (magnetic tape). This localized optimization ensures that reliability and speed are improved only where necessary, rather than uniformly across all storage, thereby reducing overall costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes storage parameters by adjusting which storage media is used for which data based on access patterns, data priority, and cost considerations. The controller can migrate data between different storage media types, changing the storage parameters (speed, cost, reliability) according to current needs, thus optimizing the balance between reliability and cost.
3Quantity of substance
If data is stored on magnetic tape to reduce costs, then storage costs are reduced, but data access speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-loading frequently accessed data from slower magnetic tape storage into faster buffer memory or SSD cache before actual access is needed. This anticipatory action ensures that when data is needed, it is already in a faster storage location, thereby maintaining low access speeds for cold data on tape while ensuring fast access for hot data without incurring the high costs of storing all data on fast media.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes memory and one or more processors programmed to operate a logical layer, a media link layer, and a slot layer. The logical layer is configured to send and receive object data to a host according to an object storage protocol. The media link layer is configured to map the object data to virtual media addresses. The slot layer is configured to map the virtual media addresses to physical addresses of data storage devices.