Virtual Storage Snapshot via Table of Contents Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cloud storage systems experience undesirably long read/write transaction times due to significant overhead, which hinders performance in handling large numbers of transactions.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing virtual and physical servers with tree-based structures, reference lists, and metadata pointer records to create snapshots of virtual storage devices while in use, reducing overhead by mapping storage locations within virtual devices to corresponding physical locations efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional cloud storage systems use traditional read/write transaction processing, then data storage functionality is provided, but transaction completion time becomes undesirably long due to significant overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a snapshot of the virtual storage device's table of contents before actual read/write operations occur. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare mapping information in advance, so when transactions occur, the system can quickly reference the pre-created snapshot rather than performing complex real-time mappings, thereby reducing transaction completion time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the virtual storage device's table of contents as a snapshot. This copy contains mapping information that points to physical storage locations, allowing read/write transactions to be processed by referencing the snapshot rather than performing complex real-time translations, thus significantly reducing overhead and transaction time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system creates snapshots of virtual storage devices, then data accessibility and backup capability are improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple table of contents structures
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the snapshot creation functionality with the existing table of contents structure. The snapshot is created by copying the table of contents itself, rather than creating a separate complex data structure. This merging approach allows snapshots to be created without introducing significant additional complexity, as the same mapping mechanism is reused for both the original virtual storage device and its snapshots.
3Ease of operation
If the system maintains multiple table of contents for different virtual storage devices, then data organization and access are enabled, but overhead in read/write transactions increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining separate complex data structures for each virtual storage device, the system uses a single table of contents structure that can be copied to create snapshots. This copying approach allows multiple virtual storage devices to be represented through shared structural patterns, reducing the overhead in read/write transactions while maintaining ease of data access.
Data Source
AI summary
A cloud storage system is described. The system includes at least one virtual server comprising at least one virtual storage device, at least one physical machine which includes at least one physical storage device having a data structure stored thereon. The data structure includes a first table of contents associated with a first virtual storage device, and a second table of contents associated with a second virtual storage device. The second virtual storage device is a copied snapshot of the first virtual storage device. The second table of contents is configured to map storage locations within the virtual storage device to node structures that provide pointers to corresponding storage locations with the physical storage device. At least some of the node structures and storage locations are shared by the first and second tables of contents.