Virtualized Storage Processor Aggregates File Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional file-based systems require users to specify advanced features like replication and snap on a per-file system basis, which becomes burdensome for users managing hundreds or more file systems, and similarly, combined systems with a file-based front end and block-based back end face the same challenges due to the need for managing these features at the individual file system level.
Innovation Solution
Provisioning a set of storage resources on a block-based array exclusively for virtualized storage processors (VSPs), where users can issue management commands for data operations such as replication and snap, allowing the array to perform these operations on multiple file systems as a group, thereby reducing the burden on users and leveraging the array's advanced features for high-performance data processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users specify advanced features on a per file system basis in conventional file-based systems, then each file system can have customized data storage operations, but the management burden increases significantly when users have hundreds or more file systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple file systems under a single virtualized storage processor (VSP) that presents as a single entity to the block-based array. Users specify advanced features at the VSP level rather than individually for each file system, combining the management of hundreds of file systems into one unified interface while maintaining the ability to perform operations on all constituent file systems simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If file-based systems manage file systems individually, then each file system can be managed independently, but the system complexity and user burden increase for managing hundreds of file systems
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualized storage processor (VSP) acts as an intermediary layer between users and the underlying file systems. The VSP abstracts the complexity of managing hundreds of individual file systems by presenting a single virtual entity to users, while internally managing all constituent file systems. This intermediary enables independent file system management to be maintained at the implementation level while simplifying the user interface.
3Reliability
If advanced features are specified at the file system level, then each file system receives appropriate data storage operations, but the time and effort required to configure and manage these features increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by establishing the VSP as a virtualized storage processor that pre-configures the group of file systems before users need to specify advanced features. By organizing file systems under a unified VSP abstraction beforehand, the system enables users to specify advanced features once at the VSP level, which then automatically applies to all constituent file systems, eliminating the need to repeatedly configure each file system individually.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for managing data storage operations in a data storage system having a file-based front end system and a block-based back end array includes provisioning a set of storage resources on the array for use exclusively with one or more virtualized storage processors (VSPs), where each VSP identifies multiple file systems. In response to a management command to perform a data storage operation on a VSP, the back-end array performs the specified operation on the provisioned set of storage resources. Thus, the back-end array performs the data operation exclusively on the VSP (or on multiple VSPs) and therefore on all of its constituent file systems as one.