This application claim priority from Chinese Patent Application Number CN201510622273.4, filed on Sep. 25, 2015 at the State Intellectual Property Office, China, titled “METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CHECKING FALSE SHARING IN DATA BLOCK DELETION,” the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to a storage system, and more particularly to a method and device for checking a false sharing in deletion of a data block.
Computer systems are constantly improving in terms of speed, reliability, and processing capability. As is known in the art, computer systems which process and store large amounts of data typically include a one or more processors in communication with a shared data storage system in which the data is stored. The data storage system may include one or more storage devices, usually of a fairly robust nature and useful for storage spanning various temporal requirements, e.g., disk drives. The one or more processors perform their respective operations using the storage system. Mass storage systems (MSS) typically include an array of a plurality of disks with on-board intelligent and communications electronics and software for making the data on the disks available.
Companies that sell data storage systems are very concerned with providing customers with an efficient data storage solution that minimizes cost while meeting customer data storage needs. It would be beneficial for such companies to have a way for reducing the complexity of implementing data storage.
A method, system, and computer program product for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block, including setting weight bits and a weight reset bit in a mapping pointer (MP) pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased, and determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs.
Drawings described herein are provided to further explain the present disclosure and constitute a part of the present application. The example embodiments of the disclosure and the explanation thereof are used to explain the present disclosure, rather than to limit the present disclosure improperly.
Reference is made to several example embodiments shown in the drawings to describe principles of the present disclosure. Though preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated in the drawings, it is understood that the embodiments are described only to facilitate those skilled in the art in better understanding and thereby achieving the present disclosure, rather than to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner.
Typically, a storage system usually includes a primary file and a plurality of snap files. Each snap file indicates a point-of-time view of the primary file. Generally, the primary file and the snap files are stored in a same storage pool where some data blocks and metadata blocks are shared. Traditionally, when updates occur, the primary file and/or the snap file may also have its own data. Conventionally, the deletion of the snap file is essentially a process of de-allocating the logics of the snap files underlying data blocks and metadata blocks. Generally, such snap files are widely used in data protection, data backup and virtualization environment, such as the fast provision and upgrading/updating of the virtual desktop (VDI).
Typically, each file looks up underlying data blocks through indirect or direct mapping pointers (MPs). Traditionally, an indirect block (IB) may have thousands of MPs depending on the IB size. Generally, when multiple files share the same blocks address, each MP takes independent weight during a write split. Conventionally, the total weight is stored in extra Block Metadata (BMD). For example, typically, in a BMD implementation, the size of BMD is 64 Bytes, and multiple BMD items are packed into one data block, as such, a 8 KB block includes 128 BMD items.
Traditionally, when a block gets shared by one or more new files, such as due to the creation of new snaps, the weight will be split from existing file (for example, source file). For example,
Conventionally, it may also happen that with the increased number of splits, the source file may not have enough weight for a further splitting, if so, it requires to add weight (also called “buy weight”) to fulfill the splitting demand. In this case, the total weight in BMD will be increased accordingly.
The false sharing is essentially a temporary inconsistency between the state in file's MP and the state in BMD.
Reference is made to
Typically, False sharing is checked in the following steps:
1. Check if the share bit is “set” (namely, as “1”). If the share bit is “1”, then BMD will be looked up. Considering a complex storage system with many concurrent delete operations or snap refresh operations, BMD probably has to be read from disk. In practice, this will consume considerable inputs/outputs (IOs) and CPU resource, and thereby becoming a bottleneck.
2. Once BMD is found, compare the weight between MP and BMD.
Generally, the approach as above may cause performance issues due to the BMD looking up and reading. Conventionally, most of blocks are shared in, for example hundreds of fast provided VM images through snap files and lots of running services in a system. Thus, traditionally, BMD is unlikely in memory, and instead, has to be read from the disk. In the real system, it may consume 90% CPU and degrade normal IO response time.
In most embodiments, the current disclosure enables use of a method and device for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block is provided in embodiments of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the method determines whether a false sharing occurs in an accurate way and with low cost by using a computable formula. In some embodiments, information of the formula comes from the in-memory MP, without no need to load any extra metadata, for example, with no need to access BMD. In many embodiments, the method also considers a scenario where a weight increase occurs (even with a very small probability) during weight split and mergence process.
The first aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block. The method comprises setting weight bits and a weight reset bit in the MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased; and determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether the false sharing occurs comprises: determining, based on the share bit, whether the data block is shared; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining whether the false sharing occurs by determining a value indicated by the weight reset bit and determining whether the weight indicated by the weight bit is equal to a predetermined maximum weight.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether the false sharing occurs comprises: determining, based on a share bit, whether the data block is shared; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining that the false sharing occurs if a value indicated by the weight reset bit is false and if the weight indicated by the weight bit is equal to the predetermined maximum weight.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs comprises: determining, based on the share bit, whether the data block is shared; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining that the false sharing does not occur if a value indicated by the weight reset bit is true and/or if the weight indicated by the weight bit is not equal to the predetermined maximum weight.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: in response to determining that the data block is not shared, deleting the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the method further comprises: in response to determining that the false sharing occurs, deleting the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing; and in response to determining that the false sharing does not occur, merging the weight indicated by weight bits of the MP into a weight indicated by weight bits of a further MP associated with the MP; updating the value indicated by the weight reset bit of the further MP; and deleting the MP.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, updating the value of weight reset bit of the further MP comprises: if the value of weight reset bit of the MP is true, substituting the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP with the value indicated by the weight reset bit of the MP; and if the value of the weight reset bit of the MP is false, keeping the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP unchanged.
The second aspect of the present disclosure provides a device for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block, comprising: a setting unit configured to set weight bit and weight reset bit in the MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased; and a false sharing determining unit configured to determine, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the false sharing determining unit comprises: a sharing determining unit configured to determine, based on a share bit, whether the data block is shared; and a first false sharing determining unit configured to, in response to determining that the data blocks is shared, determine whether the false sharing occurs by determining a value indicated by the weight reset bit and determining whether the weight indicated by the weight bit is equal to a predetermined maximum weight.
The device according to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the first false sharing determining unit is further configured to, in response to determining that the data block is shared, determine that the false sharing occurs if a value of weight reset is false and if the weight indicated by the weight bits is equal to the predetermined maximum weight.
The device according to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the first false sharing determining unit is further configured to, in response to determining that the data block is shared, determine that the false sharing does not occur if a value indicated by the weight reset bit is true and/or if the weight indicated by the weight bit is not equal to a predetermined maximum weight.
The device according to an example embodiment of the disclosure further comprises: a first deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that the data block is not shared, delete the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing.
The device according to an example embodiment of the disclosure further comprises: a second deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that the false sharing occurs, delete the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing; and a weight merging unit configured to, in response to determining that false sharing does not occur, merge the weight indicated by weight bits of the MP into a weight indicated by weight bits of a further MP associated with the MP; an updating unit configured to, in response to determining that false sharing does not occur, update the value of the weight reset bit of the further MP; and a third deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that the false sharing does not occur, delete the MP.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the updating unit is configured to: if the value of weight reset bit of the MP is true, substitute the value of the weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP with the value of the weight reset bit of the MP; and if the value of the weight reset bit of the MP is false, keep the value of the weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP unchanged.
The third aspect of the present disclosure provides a computer program product for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block. The computer program product being tangibly stored in the non-transient computer-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions, the machine-executable instructions, when executed, causing a machine to perform steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.
At 301: setting weight bits and a weight reset bit in the MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit (also referred to as ‘buy’ bit) is used to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased. At 302: determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the method, at 302, includes: determining whether the data block is shared based on the share bit; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining if false sharing occurs based on value indicated by the weight reset bit and whether the weight indicated by the weight bit equals the predetermined maximum weight.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the method, at step 302 further includes: determining, based on the share bit, whether the data block is shared; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining that false sharing occurs if the value indicated by weight reset bit (i.e. ‘buy’ bit) is false (i.e. logic value is 0) and if the weight (MP·weight) indicated by weight bits is equal to the predetermined maximum weight (MAX_WEIGHT).
Specifically, if the following condition or logic is satisfied, it can be determined that the false sharing occurs:
(‘buy’ bit=0) && (MP·weight=MAX_WEIGHT) (1),
wherein the ‘buy’ bit may be one bit out of the weight bits. Therefore, if one bit, for example, is set as the ‘buy’ bit in the weight bits of MP as shown in
It is noted that the purpose for introducing the ‘buy’ bit is to ensure that the MAX_WEIGHT, as the basis for comparison in the above logic relation, is correct and effective. This is because, if the weight increase occurs, the total BMD weight will turn into a value higher than 2̂19, namely, greater than the predetermined MAX_WEIGHT. Thus, in the case of the weight increase, it might not be able to accurately determine whether false sharing occurs only by determining if MP·weight is equal to the predetermined MAX_WEIGHT.
According to an example embodiments of the disclosure, determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs includes: determining, based on the share bit, whether the data block is shared; and in response to determining that the data block is shared, determining that false sharing does not occur, if the value indicated by the weight reset bit is true (‘buy’ bit=1), and/or if the weight indicated by the weight bits is not equal to the predetermined maximum weight (MP·weight MAX_WEIGHT). For example, as long as MP·weight MAX_WEIGHT, it can be determined that the data block must be shared by other files (i.e. the false sharing does not occur).
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the method as shown in
Alternatively or additionally, the method as shown in
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, updating the value of weight reset bit of another MP at 402 includes: if the value of weight reset bit of the MP is true (i.e. ‘buy’ bit=1), substituting the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP with the value (i.e. 1) of the weight reset bit of the MP, which may also be called “infective” attribute of the ‘buy’ bit; and if the value of the weight reset bit of the MP is false (i.e. ‘buy’ bit=0), not substituting the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP with the value (i.e. 0) of the weight reset bit of the MP, and in other words, keeping the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP unchanged.
Reference is made to the example of
During the process of writing, if a weight increase occurs, the ‘buy’ bit is set as 1 both in the original MP and the new MP. For example, as shown in
For example, if MP1 is to be deleted, according to the steps as shown in
The second aspect of the present disclosure discloses a device 600 for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block. Device 600 includes a setting unit 601 configured to set weight bits and weight reset bit in the MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased. Device 600 also includes a false sharing determining unit 602 configured to determine, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the setting unit 601 may further includes: a weight bit setting unit configured to set the weight bits in the MP pointing to the data block; and a weight reset bit setting unit configured to set the weight reset bit in the MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether the weight indicated by the weight bits has been increased.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the false sharing determining unit 602 comprises: a sharing determining unit configured to determine, based on a share bit, whether the data block is shared; and a first false sharing determining unit configured to, in response to determining that the data block is shared, determine whether the false sharing occurs by determining a value indicated by the weight reset bit and determining whether the weight indicated by the weight bits is equal to a predetermined maximum weight.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the first false sharing determining unit is further configured to, in response to determining that the data block is shared, determine that the false sharing occurs if a value of weight reset bit is false and if the weight indicated by the weight bits is equal to the predetermined maximum weight.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the first false sharing determining unit is configured to, in response to determining that the data block is shared, determine that the false sharing does not occur if the value indicated by the weight reset bit is true and/or if the weight indicated by the weight bit is not equal to the predetermined maximum weight.
The device 600 according to an example embodiment of the disclosure further includes: a first deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that the data block is not shared, delete the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing.
The device 600 according to an example embodiment of the disclosure further includes: a second deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that the false sharing occurs, delete the MP and the data block to which the MP is pointing; and a weight merging unit configured to, in response to determining that false sharing does not occur, merge the weight indicated by weight bits of the MP into the weight indicated by weight bits of a further MP associated with the MP; an updating unit configured to, in response to determining that false sharing does not occur, update the value of weight reset bit of the further MP; and a third deleting unit configured to, in response to determining that false sharing does not occur, delete the MP.
According to an example embodiment of the disclosure, the updating unit is configured to: if the value of weight reset bit of the MP is true, substitute the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP with the value of the weight reset bit of the MP; and if the value of the weight reset bit of the MP is false, keep the value of weight reset bit of the further MP associated with the MP unchanged.
To sum up, various embodiments of the present invention provide a method and device for checking false sharing in deletion of a data block. The method includes: setting weight bits and a weight reset bit in a MP pointing to the data block, wherein the weight reset bit is configured to define whether a weight indicated by the weight bit has been increased; and determining, based on the weight bits and the weight reset bit, whether a false sharing occurs. The method determines whether a false sharing occurs accurately and with low cost by using a computable formula. All information for such computable formula comes from in-memory MP, with no need to load any extra metadata, for example, with no need to access BMD. The method also considers a scenario where a weight increase occurs during the weight split and mergence.
The above are only optional embodiments and not limited to the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, the present disclosure allows various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent alternatives and improvement, etc. within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the scope of protection of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201510622273.4 | Sep 2015 | CN | national |