Virtualization Metadata Promotion for Storage Subsystem Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In storage virtualization, when the virtualization engine becomes unresponsive, identifying the location of requested data across individual real devices is challenging, leading to time-consuming and costly setups of alternative engines, which may also fail.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a storage subsystem creates virtualization metadata that maps virtual storage volumes to physical devices, allowing direct access even if the virtualization engine is unresponsive, by storing metadata on physical devices and providing it to using systems for updating virtual volume information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a substitute virtualization engine is provided to identify data locations when the virtualization engine is unresponsive, then data accessibility is improved, but setup time and equipment cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing virtualization metadata directly on physical storage devices before the virtualization engine fails. This metadata includes mapping information between virtual volumes and physical devices. When the virtualization engine becomes unresponsive, the using system can directly access this pre-stored metadata on the physical devices to retrieve data location information without requiring time-consuming setup of a substitute engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies copying by creating and storing copies of virtualization metadata on both the virtualization engine and the physical storage devices. This dual-storage approach ensures that even if the virtualization engine fails, the metadata copy on the physical devices remains available for direct access, eliminating the need for substitute engine setup.
2Reliability
If a substitute virtualization engine is provided to identify data locations when the virtualization engine is unresponsive, then data accessibility is improved, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for expensive substitute virtualization engine equipment by copying virtualization metadata to physical storage devices. This metadata copy enables direct access to data location information using existing using systems, avoiding the cost of additional virtualization engine hardware while maintaining data accessibility during engine failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the using system to directly access and use the metadata stored on physical devices without requiring a substitute virtualization engine. The system serves itself by utilizing the pre-stored metadata to recover data locations, eliminating the need for additional expensive equipment.
3Device complexity
If virtualization metadata is stored only on the virtualization engine, then system complexity is reduced, but recovery capability deteriorates when the engine is unresponsive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing metadata on physical devices before any failure occurs. This dual-location storage (virtualization engine and physical devices) ensures that recovery capability is maintained without significantly increasing system complexity, as the metadata storage mechanism leverages existing physical device storage capabilities.
4Productivity
If direct access to physical devices is enabled by providing metadata to using systems, then productivity is improved during recovery, but information security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent copies metadata to physical devices and provides it to using systems, enabling direct access and improving recovery productivity. The metadata contains data location mapping information that allows using systems to directly access physical devices without going through the virtualization engine, significantly speeding up recovery operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for storing digital data in a virtualization storage system which includes the step of creating a virtual storage volume and communicating the location of the virtual storage volume to a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem identifies a mapping type between the virtual volume and at least one virtual volume-related physical device and then creates virtualization metadata describing the virtual volume, the mapping type, and the virtual volume-related physical device. The storage subsystem mediates the storing of at least a portion of the virtualization metadata on the virtual volume-related physical device as device stored metadata. A portion of the stored virtualization metadata is provided to then one or more using systems which utilize this metadata to update the virtual volume information contained therein. A virtualization storage system implements one or more steps of the methods of the invention.