Virtual Disk Array for Distributed Storage Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable devices such as mobile phones and tablets often face storage capacity limitations, making it difficult to manage and store large amounts of data effectively.
Innovation Solution
A storage management system that includes a storage management device connected to terminal devices via a network, utilizing a virtual disk array card with multiple virtual disks of varying capacities, and modules for detecting shared storage spaces, grouping, classification, mapping, and controlling storage to efficiently manage and store data across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users rely on portable device storage capacity, then data portability and accessibility are improved, but storage capacity and data management capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments storage capacity across multiple terminal devices, dividing the storage burden from individual devices to a distributed network. Each terminal device contributes its storage space to form a collective storage pool, allowing users to access segmented portions of data across different devices while maintaining overall data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges storage capacities of multiple terminal devices into a unified cloud storage resource. By combining available storage spaces from various devices and managing them as a single virtual storage pool, the system provides expanded storage capacity while maintaining ease of access through centralized management.
2Productivity
If shared storage spaces are mapped to virtual disks, then storage utilization and efficiency are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a storage management system as an intermediary layer between physical storage spaces and users. This mediator automatically performs detection, grouping, classification, and mapping operations, transforming complex storage management tasks into simplified user interactions while maximizing storage utilization through intelligent resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage management system implements self-service automation where the system autonomously detects shared storage spaces, groups terminal devices, classifies storage capacities, and maps virtual disks without requiring manual user intervention. This self-organizing capability improves storage utilization while keeping the user interface simple.
3Reliability
If terminal devices are grouped by LAN, then data security and network efficiency are improved, but device adaptability across different networks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements universal grouping logic that can adapt to different network environments. By using LAN detection as one criterion among multiple grouping factors (including storage capacity, device type, and user preferences), the system maintains data security within local networks while also enabling cross-network resource sharing and device compatibility through alternative grouping pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage management method, includes steps: detecting sizes of shared storage spaces of all terminal devices joined in a sharing system; dividing the all terminal devices into a number of device groups according to local area networks where the terminal devices located in; classifying the terminal devices of each group into a number of kinds of terminal devices according to the sizes of the shared storage spaces of the terminal devices; mapping the shared storage spaces of each kind of terminal devices of each device group to one corresponding virtual disk of one row of a virtual disk array card; and determining a size of a file to be stored when receiving a storing request, and selecting a virtual disk with size nearest to and greater than or equal to that of the file, and storing the file into the terminal devices mapping to the selected virtual disk.