Virtual Volume Group QoS Management Across Storage Apparatuses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage systems lack scalability in managing Quality of Service (QoS) across multiple storage apparatuses, leading to inefficiencies and increased operational costs due to fragmentation and the need for complex performance design, especially when exceeding the capacity of a single device.
Innovation Solution
A storage system that forms virtual volume groups across multiple storage apparatuses, allowing for centralized QoS management through a management system that dynamically adjusts IO processing abilities to meet set QoS values, ensuring efficient resource allocation and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If QoS management is implemented at the volume group level within a single storage apparatus, then SLA can be guaranteed for that storage apparatus, but scalability is low and cannot be applied across multiple storage apparatuses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments QoS management into two levels: storage apparatus-level QoS management for individual device control and storage system-level QoS management for multi-device coordination. This segmentation allows each storage apparatus to maintain its QoS settings while the management system coordinates across multiple apparatuses, resolving the contradiction between local reliability and global scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The management system acts as an intermediary between multiple storage apparatuses, receiving IOPS settings from the host and distributing appropriate settings to each storage apparatus. This intermediary enables centralized QoS policy management while maintaining distributed execution, achieving both scalability and SLA guarantee.
2Productivity
If multiple storage apparatuses are operated as a single storage system to exceed device limits, then storage capacity and IO processing ability increase, but QoS control becomes fragmented across multiple volume groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges QoS control functions at the storage system level by introducing a management system that consolidates IOPS setting management across multiple storage apparatuses. Instead of managing QoS independently at each volume group level, the management system provides unified QoS control, eliminating fragmentation while maintaining the expanded storage capacity and IO processing ability.
3Manufacturing precision
If customers set SLA at the volume unit basis, then precise performance control is achieved, but performance design requires high expert knowledge and is not easily performed
Solution Approach 1:
The management system provides self-service functionality by automatically calculating and distributing appropriate IOPS settings to each storage apparatus based on the total IOPS setting provided by the host. This automation eliminates the need for customers to manually perform complex performance design calculations at the volume level, making the system easier to operate while maintaining precise performance control.
4Ease of operation
If QoS setting is made on the volume group unit basis, then ease of operation improves and SLA can be guaranteed on volume group basis, but scalability to multiple storage apparatuses is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to QoS management by introducing hierarchical levels: the host provides storage system-level QoS settings, which are then distributed to storage apparatuses as device-level settings. This dimensional expansion allows volume group-level convenience to be maintained at each storage apparatus while enabling scalability across multiple apparatuses through the management system.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to realize a QoS function in the unit of a virtual volume group existing over a plurality of storage apparatuses. A management system of a storage system forms a virtual volume group by using a plurality of volumes provided by a plurality of storage apparatuses. In the virtual volume group, a QoS setting value including a data input/output amount is set. IO processing ability provided from each of the volumes to the virtual volume group is set so as to satisfy the QoS setting value. The management system sets the IC processing ability provided from each of the volumes to the virtual volume group on the basis of operation information of each of the volumes.