Data storage system
View Patent ↗A method for storing data, consisting of distributing a first plurality of groups of logical addresses among one or more storage devices in a storage system, receiving a second plurality of data-sets containing the data to be stored, and assigning each data-set among the plurality of data-sets a random number chosen from a first plurality of different numbers. The method further consists of partitioning each data-set into multiple partitions, so that each partition among the multiple partitions receives a sequential partition number, assigning each partition within each data-set to be stored at a specific group of logical addresses in the storage system in accordance with the sequential partition number of the partition and the random number assigned to the data-set, and storing each partition in the storage system at the assigned specific group of logical addresses.
1. A method for storing data, comprising:
distributing a first plurality of groups of logical addresses among one or more storage devices;
receiving a second plurality of data-sets containing the data to be stored;
assigning each data-set among the plurality of data-sets a number chosen from a first plurality of different numbers;
partitioning each data-set into multiple partitions, so that each partition among the multiple partitions receives a sequential partition number;
assigning each partition within each data-set to be stored at a specific group of logical addresses in accordance with the sequential partition number of the partition and the number assigned to the data-set; and
storing each partition at the assigned specific group of logical addresses; wherein:
the first plurality of groups comprises s groups, each having a different integral group number between 1 and s,
the number comprises an integer r randomly chosen from and including integers between 0 and s−1,
the sequential partition number comprises a positive integer p, and
the group number of the assigned specific group is (r+p)modulo(s) if (r+p)modulo(s)≠0, and s if (r+p)modulo(s)=0.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multiple partitions comprise equal size partitions.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data-sets comprise data from at least one of a file, file meta-data, a storage object, a data packet, a video tape, a music track, an image, a database record, contents of a logical unit, and an email.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more storage devices are operative in at least one of a storage area network, a network attached storage system, and an object storage architecture.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the number is chosen by a randomizing function.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the number is chosen by a consistent hashing function.
7. A data storage system, comprising:
one or more mass-storage devices, coupled to store partitions of data at respective first ranges of logical addresses (LAs);
a plurality of interim devices, configured to operate independently of one another, each interim device being assigned a respective second range of the LAs and coupled to receive the partitions of data from and provide the partitions of data to the one or more mass-storage devices having LAs within the respective second range; and
one or more interfaces, which are adapted to receive input/output (IO) requests from host processors, to identify specified partitions of data in response to the IO requests, to convert the IO requests to converted-IO-requests directed to specified LAs in response to the specified partitions of data, and to direct all the converted-IO-requests to the interim device to which the specified LAs are assigned.
8. The storage system according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the mass-storage devices has a slow access time, and wherein at least one of the interim devices has a fast access time.
9. The storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more mass-storage devices are coupled to provide a balanced access to the first ranges of LAs.
10. The storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the storage system is operative in at least one of a storage area network, a network attached storage system, and an object storage architecture.
11. The data storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more interfaces are further adapted to receive at least part of a data-set containing the data.
12. The data storage system according to claim 11 , wherein the data-set comprises data from at least one of a file, file meta-data, a storage object, a data packet, a video tape, a music track, an image, a database record, contents of a logical unit, and an email.
13. A data storage system, comprising:
one or more storage devices wherein are distributed a first plurality of groups of logical addresses; and
a processing unit which is adapted to:
receive a second plurality of data-sets containing the data to be stored, assign each data-set among the plurality of data-sets a number chosen from a first plurality of different numbers,
partition each data-set into multiple partitions, so that each partition among the multiple partitions receives a sequential partition number,
assign each partition within each data-set to be stored at a specific group of logical addresses in the one or more storage devices in accordance with the sequential partition number of the partition and the number assigned to the data-set, and
store each partition in the one or more storage devices at the assigned specific group of logical addresses; wherein:
the first plurality of groups comprises s groups each having a different integral group number between 1 and s,
the number comprises an integer r randomly chosen from and including integers between 0 and s−1,
the sequential partition number comprises a positive integer p, and
the group number of the assigned specific group is (r+p)modulo(s) if (r+p)modulo(s)≠0, and s if (r+p)modulo(s)=0.
14. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the multiple partitions comprise equal size partitions.
15. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the data-sets comprise data from at least one of a file, file meta-data, a storage object, a data packet, a video tape, a music track, an image, a database record, contents of a logical unit, and an email.
16. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more storage devices and the processing unit are operative in at least one of a storage area network, a network attached storage system, and an object storage architecture.
17. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the number is chosen by a randomizing function.
18. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the number is chosen by a consistent hashing function.
19. The data storage system according to claim 13 , wherein each data-set comprises data from at least one of a file, file meta-data, a storage object, a data packet, a video tape, a music track, an image, a database record, contents of a logical unit, and an email.
20. A method for storing data, comprising:
coupling one or more mass-storage devices to store partitions of data at respective first ranges of logical addresses (LAs);
configuring a plurality of interim devices to operate independently of one another;
assigning each interim device a respective second range of the LAs;
coupling each interim device to receive the partitions of data from and provide the partitions of data to the one or more mass-storage devices having LAs within the respective second range;
receiving input/output (IO) requests from host processors;
identifying specified partitions of data in response to the IO requests;
converting the IO requests to converted-IO-requests directed to specified LAs in response to the specified partitions of data; and
directing all the converted-IO-requests to the interim device to which the specified LAs are assigned.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein at least one of the mass-storage devices has a slow access time, and wherein at least one of the interim devices has a fast access time.
22. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the one or more mass-storage devices are coupled to provide a balanced access to the first ranges of LAs.
23. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the one or more storage devices and the plurality of interim devices are operative in at least one of a storage area network, a network attached storage system, and an object storage architecture.