IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,937,551
Granted Patent B2
US 7,937,551 · App. 10/761,884 · Granted May 3, 2011

Storage systems having differentiated storage pools

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,937,551
App. No.
10/761,884
Granted
May 3, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The systems and methods described herein include among other things, systems for providing a block level data storage service. More particularly, the systems and methods of the invention provide a block level data storage service that provides differentiated pools of storage on a single storage device. To this end, the systems and methods described herein leverage the different performance characteristics across the logical block name (LBN) space of the storage device (or devices). These different performance characteristics may be exploited to support two or more classes of storage on a single device.

Claims (39)

1. A system for providing differentiated classes of storage, comprising:

a storage device having a plurality of storage locations and a logical block name space for organizing logical block names of the storage locations,

a performance process configured to determine a level of performance for the plurality of storage locations and partition the plurality of storage locations into a plurality of regions as determined by their different levels of performance,

a performance measurement system configured to scan storage locations of the storage device and determine the different levels of performance for the storage locations, and specifically wherein the performance measurement system performs experimental read and write operations and determines the different levels of performance from experimental data collected in the read and write operations,

a mapping process configured to map the partitioned regions of the storage locations and aggregate the logical block names of the storage locations of the storage device in the partitioned regions having an identical level of performance to a selected section of the logical block name space,

a RAID controller, for assigning a first RAID level configuration to a first set of aggregated logical block names of the storage device, and assigning a second RAID level configuration to a second set of aggregated logical block names of the storage device, the first and second RAID level configurations being different from each other; and

the system thereby providing differentiated classes of storage having two or more differentiated RAID level configurations of the same storage device to one or more clients accessing the system.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the performance process separates the plurality of storage locations into a plurality of categories as determined by their different levels of performance.

3. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a process configured to employ the storage system to provide a file system service.

4. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a process configured to provide a storage volume service.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein the mapping process creates multiple storage volumes at a selected level of performance on the storage device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a level of performance includes a data access time, or a reliability of a storage location, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage device is a single storage disk.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mapping process performs mapping and aggregating when the storage system is designed.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mapping process performs mapping and aggregating during operation of the storage device.

10. A performance process for providing differentiated classes of storage based on determined levels of performance of a plurality of storage locations of a storage device, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a storage device having a plurality of storage locations and a logical block name space for organizing logical block names of the storage locations,

determining a level of performance of the plurality of storage locations,

partitioning the plurality of storage locations into a plurality of regions as determined by their different levels of performance,

wherein the different levels of performance are further determined by performing experimental read and write operations and determining the level of performance from experimental data collected in the experimental read and write operations,

mapping partitioned regions of the storage locations,

aggregating the logical block names of the storage locations in the partitioned regions having an identical level of performance to a selected section of the logical block name space,

assigning a first RAID level configuration to a first set of aggregated logical block names,

assigning a second RAID level configuration to a second set of aggregated logical block names, the first RAID level configuration and second RAID level configuration being different from one another, and

the storage device thereby providing differentiated classes of RAID level storage to one or more clients.

11. A process according to claim 10 , further including the step of separating the plurality of storage locations into a plurality of categories as determined by their different levels of performance.

12. A process according to claim 10 , wherein mapping creates multiple storage volumes at a selected level of performance.

13. The process of claim 10 , wherein a level of performance includes a data access time, or a reliability of a storage location, or a combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 10 , wherein mapping and aggregating are performed when a storage system that implements the process is designed.

15. The process of claim 10 , wherein mapping and aggregating are performed during operation of a storage system that implements the process.

16. A system for providing differentiated classes of storage, comprising

a storage device having a plurality of storage locations, a logical block name space for organizing logical block names of the storage locations, and performance parameters of the storage locations that vary across the storage device;

a partitioning process configured to partition the storage locations into regions and aggregate the logical block names of the storage locations in the partitioned regions having an identical level of performance to a selected section of the logical block name space, thereby providing two or more differentiated classes of storage on the storage device to one or more clients accessing the system;

a RAID controller, for assigning different RAID level techniques to respective ones of the two or more differentiated classes of storage; and

a performance measurement system that scans storage locations of the storage device and determines the level of performance of the storage locations, wherein determining performance further comprises performing experimental read and write operations and determining the level of performance from experimental data collected in the experimental read and write operations.

17. A system according to claim 16 , wherein the partitioning process selects a fixed set of partitions as a function of a selected configuration of system components.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL USA L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 21, 2010
From: EQUALLOGIC INC.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 023828/0438 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2004
From: SCHOTT, ERIC R.
To: EQUALLOGIC INC.
Reel/Frame 014924/0004 →