Video Server Storage Bandwidth via Segmented RAID Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video server storage systems face limitations in scalability and bandwidth to support high-definition broadcasting, requiring increased storage capacity and redundancy to maintain performance and quality-of-service, especially during drive failures.
Innovation Solution
The system segregates an aggregate storage volume into multiple mutually exclusive logical volumes, each comprising a set of hard disk storage devices arranged in redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID), with interleaved data stripes across RAID sets to enhance bandwidth and capacity, allowing non-interruptive expansion and improved redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data is striped across multiple drives in a RAID system, then storage capacity and redundancy are improved, but storage bandwidth and access speed deteriorate due to mechanical seek limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into multiple independent single-drive RAID sets rather than using one large striped RAID array. Each RAID set operates independently with its own spindles and controllers, eliminating mechanical seek conflicts while maintaining the benefits of RAID redundancy and capacity aggregation across multiple sets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional data striping approach (across drives within a single RAID array) to a three-dimensional architecture where multiple independent RAID sets are stacked vertically. This adds a new dimension to data distribution, allowing simultaneous access across multiple independent storage planes without mechanical interference.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of drives in a RAID array is increased to support more channels, then storage capacity increases, but system complexity and difficulty of management worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large storage system into multiple smaller, manageable RAID sets, each containing a limited number of drives (e.g., 4-8 drives per set). This segmentation makes each individual RAID array easier to manage and maintain while the collection of sets provides the total required capacity. Each set can be independently configured and monitored.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple RAID sets with some redundancy beyond the minimum required for any single set. This allows individual sets to be taken offline for maintenance or failure replacement without impacting overall system capacity, providing a buffer that simplifies maintenance operations and reduces the complexity of maintaining full system availability.
3Productivity
If drives are added to expand storage bandwidth, then bandwidth capacity increases, but the requirement to re stripe existing data worsens operational continuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent organizes storage into multiple independent RAID sets that can be expanded independently. When bandwidth expansion is needed, additional drives can be added to existing sets or new sets created without affecting other sets. This eliminates the need to re-stripe data across the entire array, as each set operates autonomously and can be modified without impacting others.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-configures multiple RAID sets with appropriate capacity and redundancy levels before deployment. This preliminary structuring allows for straightforward expansion by simply adding drives to existing sets or creating new sets, rather than requiring complex re-stripping operations. The system is designed from the outset to accommodate growth without operational disruption.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for storing data in a data storage system. A data storage system is provided having a plurality of hard disk drive units each of which includes a plurality of hard disk storage devices. A first logical volume and a second logical volume may be formed for storing data such that the logical volumes include a respective set of hard disk storage devices for each of the plural hard disk drive units where each of the sets of hard disk storage devices are mutually exclusive. A first data set and a second data set may then be stored in the first and second logical volumes, respectively.