Virtual SAN Infrastructure for Scalable Storage Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage management systems face limitations such as restricted capacity, inability to share storage across servers, poor scalability, performance bottlenecks, and distance limitations, making them inadequate for enterprise needs, especially in disaster recovery scenarios.
Innovation Solution
An IP-based out-band accessed distributed virtual SAN infrastructure allows hosts to directly access SAN units without a control management station, enabling centralized control, dynamic expansion, and sharing, while using Fibre Channel to IP gateways for protocol translation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional directly-attached storage systems are used, then storage capacity is limited to 4 TB, but expanding storage capacity requires purchasing new servers which increases system complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple storage systems into a single virtualized storage pool that can be shared across multiple servers. Instead of each server having dedicated storage, the system combines storage resources from multiple systems into a unified pool that provides scalable capacity without requiring proportional increases in server infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtualized storage system provides universal access to storage resources across multiple servers and applications. The same storage pool can serve different servers, support various storage protocols, and provide multiple functions including primary storage, backup, and disaster recovery capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If storage is directly attached to a server, then the storage can be accessed by that server, but it cannot be shared by other servers reducing storage utilization efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is designed with universal access capabilities, allowing the same physical storage resources to be simultaneously accessed and utilized by multiple servers through virtualization. This enables storage sharing while maintaining performance and data integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtualization layer as an intermediary between physical storage systems and servers. This intermediary manages storage allocation, access control, and data operations, enabling multiple servers to share storage resources efficiently while the physical storage systems remain unchanged.
3Ease of operation
If each attached storage system is managed separately, then management is straightforward for individual systems, but it becomes a nightmare for IT professionals managing multiple systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual storage management interfaces into a single unified management console. This consolidated interface provides centralized control over all storage resources, enabling IT professionals to manage the entire storage infrastructure from one location rather than accessing multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified management system provides universal control capabilities across different storage systems, protocols, and servers. It offers a standardized interface that can manage diverse storage resources regardless of their underlying hardware or software differences.
4Productivity
If backup/restore operations go through the data network, then network infrastructure is utilized, but network performance is taxed or reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments backup and restore operations from production data traffic by providing direct physical connections for backup operations. Backup systems connect directly to storage arrays through dedicated channels, separating backup traffic from network traffic that carries production data, thereby preventing performance degradation of either.
5Speed
If SCSI or Fibre Channel connections are used, then data access speed is sufficient for local operations, but distance limitations prevent their use for disaster recovery scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network infrastructure as an intermediary that bridges the gap between local high-speed storage connections and remote disaster recovery sites. By using standardized network protocols and virtualization, the system maintains high-speed access characteristics while extending reach across geographic distances that would be impossible with direct SCSI or Fibre Channel connections.
Data Source
AI summary
Rapid demanding for storage capacity at internet era requires a much flexible and powerful storage infrastructure. Present invention disclosed a type of storage system based a model of centrally controlled distributed scalable virtual machine. In this model, one or more service pools including virtual storage service pool and application service pools can be automatically created to meet the demands for more storage capacity from various applications. Specially this model provide a solid foundation for distributing storage volumes for supporting storage on-demand and sharing with exceptional management capabilities. In addition, this model provides a flexible fault recovery topology beyond the traditional recovery plan.