Virtual Volume Segmentation for Per-VM SLA Guarantees
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems struggle to provide scalable and efficient data management for virtualized computer systems, particularly in large-scale environments where resource demands from multiple virtual machines (VMs) lead to variable service levels and inability to guarantee service level agreements (SLAs) on a per-VM basis, due to limitations in data services and storage policies.
Innovation Solution
A storage system that isolates workloads by creating virtual volumes provisioned on a per-workload basis, using logical storage containers and protocol endpoints to enable per-VM SLA guarantees and data services, allowing for efficient management and access of virtual disks and snapshots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional storage systems aggregate storage units and present them as LUNs to support multiple VMs, then storage capacity and accessibility are improved, but the ability to guarantee service level agreements on a per-VM basis deteriorates due to variable service levels from resource demands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into multiple virtual volumes, each dedicated to a specific VM or workload. This segmentation isolates workloads so that resource demands from one VM do not affect service levels for other VMs, enabling per-VM SLA guarantees while maintaining overall storage capacity and accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If storage systems use logical volume managers to manage LUNs for multiple VMs, then storage management flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases making it difficult to provide per-VM isolation and SLA guarantees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual volumes as an intermediary layer between the logical volume manager and individual VMs. This intermediary provides per-VM isolation and SLA enforcement without requiring complex configurations in the logical volume manager itself, thus maintaining storage management flexibility while reducing system complexity.
3Loss of energy
If storage systems consolidate multiple VM workloads onto shared LUNs, then storage efficiency is improved, but the ability to provide per-VM data services and isolation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments storage resources into dedicated virtual volumes for each VM, enabling per-VM data services and isolation. This segmentation maintains storage efficiency by consolidating VMs onto shared physical storage infrastructure while providing the versatility needed for per-VM service delivery through the virtual volume abstraction layer.
Data Source
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AI summary
The storage system exports logical storage volumes that are provisioned as storage objects. These storage objects are accessed on demand by connected computer systems using standard protocols, such as SCSI and NFS, through logical endpoints for the protocol traffic that are configured in the storage system. Logical storage volumes are created from a logical storage container having an address space that maps to storage locations of the physical data storage units. Each of the logical storage volumes so created has an address space that maps to the address space of the logical storage container. A logical storage container may span more than one storage system and logical storage volumes of different customers can be provisioned from the same logical storage container with appropriate security settings.