System and method for cache management

• US 9,448,941 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Derbeko, Philip, Eyal, Anat, Don, Arieh, Benhanokh, Zvi Gabriel, Veprinsky, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Giardino, Jr., Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chappell, Daniel C
• Application Number:
  US13/731,415
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0804 with main memory updating G06F12/0806 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0846 Cache with multiple tag or data arrays being simultaneously accessible
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0868 Data transfer between cache memory and other subsystems, e.g. storage devices or host systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0871 Allocation or management of cache space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0897 with two or more cache hierarchy levels with multilevel cache hierarchies G06F12/0811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1016 Performance improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1032 Reliability improvement, data loss prevention, degraded operation etc
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/262 configured as RAID
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/283 Plural cache memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/311 In host system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/313 In storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computing system for processing one or more data chunks on a host server. The one or more data chunks are destined for storage within a portion of a data array coupled to the host server. The one or more data chunks are stored within a host cache system included within the host server. Storage criteria concerning the portion of a data array is reviewed. The storage criteria includes an array bandwidth allotment that defines a maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array. The one or more data chunks are written to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

processing one or more data chunks on a host server, wherein the one or more data chunks are to be stored within a portion of a data array, wherein the data array is coupled to the host server;

storing the one or more data chunks within a host cache system included within the host server;

reviewing storage criteria concerning the portion of a data array, wherein the storage criteria includes an array bandwidth allotment that is a maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array;

analyzing the one or more data chunks to determine a comparative size;

determining an associated device speed for the portion of the data array to which each of the one or more data chunks is to be written;

establishing a write sequence for the one or more data chunks, wherein the write sequence is based, at least in part, upon the comparative size of the one or more data chunks and the associated device speed; and

writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria, including writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array if bandwidth exists of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, and if bandwidth does not exist of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, then modifying the write sequence based, at least in part, upon the array bandwidth allotment;

wherein writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria includes writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array in an order based upon, at least in part, an amount of time the one or more data chunks have been stored within the host cache system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the storage criteria further includes a maximum storage delay that is a maximum amount of time that the one or more data chunks may be stored within the host cache system before being written to the portion of the data array.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the storage criteria further includes a storage device performance indicator that is a performance level for a storage device associated within the portion of the data array.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the storage device is chosen from the group consisting of a SATA storage device, a fiber channel storage device, and a flash-based storage device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the one or more data chunks includes a first data chunk and a second data chunk, and

writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array includes;

writing the first data chunk and the second data chunk to the portion of the data array in the write sequence that is further based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the data array includes one or more LUNs.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the host cache system is a write back cache system.

8. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

processing one or more data chunks on a host server, wherein the one or more data chunks are to be stored within a portion of a data array, wherein the data array is coupled to the host server;

storing the one or more data chunks within a host cache system included within the host server;

reviewing storage criteria concerning the portion of a data array, wherein the storage criteria includes an array bandwidth allotment that is a maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array;

analyzing the one or more data chunks to determine a comparative size;

determining an associated device speed for the portion of the data array to which each of the one or more data chunks is to be written;

establishing a write sequence for the one or more data chunks, wherein the write sequence is based, at least in part, upon the comparative size of the one or more data chunks and the associated device speed; and

writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria, including writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array if bandwidth exists of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, and if bandwidth does not exist of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, then modifying the write sequence based, at least in part, upon the array bandwidth allotment;

wherein writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria includes writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array in an order based upon, at least in part, an amount of time the one or more data chunks have been stored within the host cache system.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria further includes a maximum storage delay that is a maximum amount of time that the one or more data chunks may be stored within the host cache system before being written to the portion of the data array.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the storage criteria further includes a storage device performance indicator that is a performance level for a storage device associated within the portion of the data array.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the storage device is chosen from the group consisting of a SATA storage device, a fiber channel storage device, and a flash-based storage device.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein:

the one or more data chunks includes a first data chunk and a second data chunk, and

the instructions for writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array include instructions for;

writing the first data chunk and the second data chunk to the portion of the data array in the write sequence that is further based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the portion of the data array includes one or more LUNs.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the host cache system is a write back cache system.

15. A computing system including at least one processor and at least one memory architecture coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the computing system is configured to perform operations comprising:

processing one or more data chunks on a host server, wherein the one or more data chunks are to be stored within a portion of a data array, wherein the data array is coupled to the host server;

storing the one or more data chunks within a host cache system included within the host server;

reviewing storage criteria concerning the portion of a data array, wherein the storage criteria includes an array bandwidth allotment that is a maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array;

analyzing the one of more data chunks to determine a comparative size;

determining an associated device speed for the portion of the data array to which each of the one or more data chunks is to be written;

establishing a write sequence for the one or more data chunks, wherein the write sequence is based, at least in part, upon the comparative size of the one or more data chunks and the associated device speed; and

writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria, including writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array if bandwidth exists of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, and if bandwidth does not exist of the maximum bandwidth between the host server and the portion of the data array, then modifying the write sequence based, at least in part, upon the array bandwidth allotment;

wherein writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria includes writing the one or more data chunks from the host cache system to the portion of the data array in an order based upon, at least in part, an amount of time the one or more data chunks have been stored within the host cache system.

16. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the storage criteria further includes a maximum storage delay that is a maximum amount of time that the one or more data chunks may be stored within the host cache system before being written to the portion of the data array.

17. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the storage criteria further includes a storage device performance indicator that is a performance level for a storage device associated within the portion of the data array.

18. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the storage device is chosen from the group consisting of a SATA storage device, a fiber channel storage device, and a flash-based storage device.

19. The computing system of claim 15 wherein:

the one or more data chunks includes a first data chunk and a second data chunk, and

writing the one or more data chunks to the portion of the data array includes;

writing the first data chunk and the second data chunk to the portion of the data array in the write sequence that is further based, at least in part, upon the storage criteria.

20. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the portion of the data array includes one or more LUNs.

21. The computing system of claim 15 wherein the host cache system is a write back cache system.