METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPERSED STORAGE MEMORY DEVICE SELECTION

• US 20110078373A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: RESCH, JASON K., HOFFMAN, STEVEN MARK, GRUBE, GARY W., MARKISON, TIMOTHY W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,381,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/10 Adding special bits or symbols to the coded information, e.g. parity check, casting out 9's or 11's
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2053 where persistent mass storage functionality or persistent mass storage control functionality is redundant error detection or correction in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/068 Hybrid storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

A method begins when a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit of a DS unit has at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm to store. The method continues with the DS processing unit encoding at least a portion of the at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of data slices. The method continues with the DS processing unit storing at least some of the plurality of data slices in memory devices of the DS unit in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function.

Claims

1. A method for execution by a dispersed storage (DS) unit comprises:

when the DS unit has at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm to store;

encoding at least a portion of the at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of data slices; and

storing at least some of the plurality of data slices in memory devices of the DS unit in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function; and

when the DS unit has an encoded slice of content data to store;

selecting one of the memory devices of the DS unit for storing the encoded slice based on metadata associated with the encoded slice to produce a selected memory device; and

storing the encoded slice in the selected memory device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DS unit operational data comprises at least one of:

a DS table;

a local virtual distributed storage network (DSN) address to physical memory table;

a log;

an activity record;

a memory utilization record;

an error record;

a storage record;

a retrieval record; and

a vault information record.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing at least some of the plurality of data slices further comprises:

determining a memory device requirements for the storing of the at least some of the plurality of data slices in the memory devices based on metadata; and

identifying the memory devices based on the memory device requirements.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of:

a data type;

a data size;

a data priority;

a data security index;

an estimated storage time;

an estimated time between retrievals; and

a storage requirement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing of the at least some of the plurality of data slices in the memory devices further comprises:

storing at least a read threshold number of the plurality of data slices in a first set of the memory devices; and

storing remaining data slices of the plurality of data slices in a second set of the memory devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting one of the memory devices of the DS unit further comprises:

retrieving data slices of the DS unit operational data from the memory devices to produce retrieved data slices;

reconstructing vault information from the retrieved data slices in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function; and

selecting the one of the memory devices based on the vault information.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the DS unit has at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm to store;

storing a remaining one of the plurality of data slices in a memory device of another DS unit in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function.

8. A dispersed storage (DS) unit comprises:

a plurality of memory devices;

a dispersed storage processing unit operable to;

when at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm is to be stored;

encode at least a portion of the at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of data slices; and

store at least some of the plurality of data slices in memory devices of the DS unit in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function; and

when an encoded slice of content data is to be stored;

select one of the plurality of memory devices for storing the encoded slice based on metadata associated with the encoded slice to produce a selected memory device; and

store the encoded slice in the selected memory device.

9. The DS unit of claim 8, wherein the DS unit operational data comprises at least one of:

a DS table;

a local virtual distributed storage network (DSN) address to physical memory table;

a log;

an activity record;

a memory utilization record;

an error record;

a storage record;

a retrieval record; and

a vault information record.

10. The DS unit of claim 8, wherein the dispersed storage processing unit further functions to store at least some of the plurality of data slices by:

determining a memory device requirements for the storing of the at least some of the plurality of data slices in the memory devices based on metadata; and

identifying the memory devices based on the memory device requirements.

11. The DS unit of claim 10, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of:

a data type;

a data size;

a data priority;

a data security index;

an estimated storage time;

an estimated time between retrievals; and

a storage requirement.

12. The DS unit of claim 10, wherein the dispersed storage processing unit further functions to store at least some of the plurality of data slices in the memory devices by:

storing at least a read threshold number of the plurality of data slices in a first set of the memory devices; and

storing remaining data slices of the plurality of data slices in a second set of the memory devices.

13. The DS unit of claim 8, wherein the dispersed storage processing unit further functions to select one of the memory devices of the DS unit by:

retrieving data slices of the DS unit operational data from the memory devices to produce retrieved data slices;

reconstructing vault information from the retrieved data slices in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function; and

selecting the one of the memory devices based on the vault information.

14. The DS unit of claim 8 further comprises:

an interface module; and

wherein the dispersed storage processing unit further functions to;

when the DS unit has at least one of DS unit operational data and DS unit operating system algorithm to store;

outputting, via the interface module, a remaining one of the plurality of data slices to a memory device of another DS unit in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function.

15. A dispersed storage (DS) unit comprises:

an interface module operable to receive an encoded slice of content data;

a plurality of memory devices; and

a processing unit operable to;

determine that the encoded slice is to be stored;

retrieve a plurality of data slices from at least some of the plurality of memory devices based on the encoded slice;

reconstruct DS operational data from the plurality of data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function;

selecting one of the plurality of memory devices for storing the encoded slice based on the DS operational data to produce a selected memory device; and

storing the encoded slice in the selected memory device.

16. The DS unit of claim 15, the processing unit further functions to:

retrieve a plurality of data slices of a DS unit operating system algorithm from at least some of the plurality of memory devices;

reconstruct the DS unit operating system algorithm from the plurality of data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function; and

execute at least a portion of the DS unit operating system algorithm.

17. The DS unit of claim 15, the processing unit further functions to:

update the DS operational data to produce updated DS operational data when the encoded slice is stored;

construct a second plurality of data slices from the updated DS operational data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function; and

output, via the interface module, the second plurality of data slices in at least some of the plurality of memory devices based on the encoded slice.

18. The DS unit of claim 15, wherein the DS operational data comprises at least one of:

a DS table;

a local virtual distributed storage network (DSN) address to physical memory table;

a log;

an activity record;

a memory utilization record;

an error record;

a storage record;

a retrieval record; and

a vault information record.