Revolutionizing Storage with Intel Optane Persistent Memory
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Traditional Storage Architectures
- The Two Types of Latency in Storage
- Media Latency
- File System Latency
- The Bottleneck of Block-based I/O
- Serialization of Small I/O
- Performance Issues in Shared Storage
- Introducing Intel Optane Persistent Memory
- Persistent and Byte-Addressable Storage
- Overcoming Block-based I/O Bottlenecks
- The New Software Stack: Deos
- User Space I/O Processing
- Interface Options for End Users
- Performance Benefits of Intel Optane Persistent Memory
- Submission to the I/O 500 List
- Setting a New World Record in File System Performance
- Looking Towards the Future: Next-Generation Persistent Memory
- Benchmarking Deos on the New Platform
- Improvements in Metadata and Small I/O Performance
- Enhancements to File System Bandwidth
- Conclusion
Overcoming Storage Bottlenecks with Intel Optane Persistent Memory
In the world of storage architectures, traditional systems face two significant challenges: media latency and file system latency. These latencies can result in performance bottlenecks that limit the efficiency of data access and storage. However, Intel's Optane Persistent Memory offers a solution to these bottlenecks, revolutionizing the storage industry.
1. Introduction
Hello, I'm Kelsey Prantis, an engineering manager at Intel. Today, I want to share with you how Intel's Optane Persistent Memory is being utilized to overcome the bottlenecks that have plagued the storage industry. Traditional storage architectures have faced challenges in terms of latency when accessing stored data. These latencies can be attributed to both media latency and file system latency. In this article, we will explore how Intel Optane Persistent Memory addresses these issues and brings about significant improvements in storage performance.
2. Traditional Storage Architectures
Before we delve into the details of Intel Optane Persistent Memory, let's briefly discuss traditional storage architectures. These architectures rely on block-based I/O, where data is stored in larger blocks on the media. However, this approach can lead to performance issues, especially when dealing with small I/O operations or shared storage environments.
3. The Two Types of Latency in Storage
When analyzing storage latency, we must consider both media latency and file system latency. Media latency refers to the time it takes to access data from the storage media, whether it's an NVMe SSD or an HDD device. On the other HAND, file system latency accounts for the additional delays introduced by the file system layer, which manages the organization and retrieval of data.
4. The Bottleneck of Block-based I/O
One of the primary causes of performance bottlenecks in storage is the reliance on block-based I/O. When data is stored in blocks on the media, accessing small I/O or multiple compute nodes trying to access the same block can lead to serialization and locking issues. This can significantly impact the overall performance of I/O applications.
4.1 Serialization of Small I/O
Small I/O operations, such as file system metadata or small I/O requests, can create a considerable performance problem. The traditional POSIX data storage model stores multiple pieces of data in the same block on the media. This means that when multiple compute nodes attempt to access the same piece of data, the software has to lock access to that block and serialize the operations. As such, even with shared storage, these serialization and locking activities can become a significant bottleneck when scaled across a cluster.
4.2 Performance Issues in Shared Storage
In shared storage environments, the limitations of block-based I/O become even more apparent. As multiple compute nodes access data on the same block, the software must handle the locking and serialization of these activities. When these actions are repeated millions of times across a cluster, it creates a performance bottleneck that limits the efficiency of I/O applications.
5. Introducing Intel Optane Persistent Memory
To address these storage bottlenecks, Intel Optane Persistent Memory introduces a new fundamental capability to the storage market. Unlike traditional storage media, which is block-based and subject to the limitations of block-based I/O, Intel Optane Persistent Memory offers persistent and byte-addressable storage. This means that data can be accessed at the byte level, enabling more efficient and fine-grained data operations.
5.1 Persistent and Byte-Addressable Storage
Intel Optane Persistent Memory brings a revolutionary change to storage architectures by providing both persistence and byte-addressability. Unlike previous storage technologies, which required data to be accessed in large blocks, Intel Optane Persistent Memory allows for direct access to data at the byte level. This capability opens up new possibilities for optimizing storage performance.
5.2 Overcoming Block-based I/O Bottlenecks
With the introduction of Intel Optane Persistent Memory, the limitations of block-based I/O can be overcome. By leveraging the low latency and byte-addressable data access of persistent memory, a new software stack called Deos has been developed. Deos eliminates the need for block-based I/O and allows for direct communication between applications and the storage media, bypassing the kernel and improving overall performance.
6. The New Software Stack: Deos
Deos is a software stack built on top of Intel Optane Persistent Memory that takes advantage of its unique capabilities. Unlike traditional storage systems that rely on the block-based I/O interface, Deos operates entirely in user space. This means that I/O processing is performed without involving the kernel, resulting in reduced overhead and improved performance.
6.1 User Space I/O Processing
By performing I/O operations in user space, Deos eliminates the need for data to pass through the kernel. This significant departure from traditional storage architectures allows for faster and more efficient data access and manipulation. With Deos, small I/O requests and metadata operations no longer suffer from the performance problems associated with block-based I/O.
6.2 Interface Options for End Users
Deos provides a selection of interface options for end users based on their specific requirements. In addition to the traditional POSIX interface, Deos supports key-value interfaces and integrates with various Middleware and application frameworks. This flexibility allows different types of applications to seamlessly interact with Deos as a backend, further enhancing usability and compatibility.
7. Performance Benefits of Intel Optane Persistent Memory
The integration of Intel Optane Persistent Memory and the Deos software stack has led to significant performance improvements in storage systems. This has been demonstrated by our submission to the I/O 500 List, a ranking of the top file systems in the world. Our test lab at Intel, with a relatively small system, was able to achieve a new world record in file system performance, surpassing even some of the most powerful supercomputers.
7.1 Submission to the I/O 500 List
At ISC, we submitted Deos to the I/O 500 List with a small system consisting of 30 servers and 52 clients. Despite not saturating the servers with clients, our submission achieved remarkable results. This demonstrates the significant performance gains made possible by Intel Optane Persistent Memory and the innovative Deos software stack.
7.2 Setting a New World Record in File System Performance
Our submission to the I/O 500 List resulted in setting a new world record for file system performance. This achievement showcases the transformative capabilities of Intel Optane Persistent Memory and the Deos software stack. By leveraging byte-addressable storage and eliminating the limitations of block-based I/O, we achieved unparalleled performance levels.
8. Looking Towards the Future: Next-Generation Persistent Memory
As we continue to explore the possibilities of Intel Optane Persistent Memory, the future looks promising for storage performance enhancements. With the advancement of next-generation persistent memory, we anticipate even greater improvements in the capabilities of the Deos software stack.
8.1 Benchmarking Deos on the New Platform
We recently had the opportunity to benchmark Deos on the next-generation persistent memory platform. Initial tests conducted without any software optimizations or tuning revealed promising performance improvements. By simply swapping in the new hardware, we observed a noticeable increase in metadata performance and small I/O operations, offering a glimpse into the potential of the next-generation persistent memory.
8.2 Improvements in Metadata and Small I/O Performance
The benchmark results for metadata and small I/O performance were quite impressive. These areas, which are historically challenging for traditional block-based storage systems, showcased significant advancements with the next-generation persistent memory platform. The performance improvement, in line with scaling the number of dimms, indicates the efficacy of the new hardware.
8.3 Enhancements to File System Bandwidth
Another notable improvement observed in the benchmarking tests was the enhancement in file system bandwidth. The IOR benchmark, which measures the complete I/O bandwidth rather than just metadata, demonstrated a remarkable 58% improvement. This improvement signifies the substantial benefits of the next-generation persistent memory in terms of data transfer speed and overall system performance.
9. Conclusion
In conclusion, Intel Optane Persistent Memory and the Deos software stack provide innovative solutions to the performance bottlenecks that have plagued traditional storage architectures. By leveraging the byte-addressable and persistent nature of Intel Optane Persistent Memory, Deos eliminates the limitations of block-based I/O and unlocks new levels of storage performance. With remarkable benchmark results and world-record achievements, Intel Optane Persistent Memory is poised to revolutionize the storage industry and drive further advancements in distributed storage technology.
Highlights:
- Intel Optane Persistent Memory offers a solution to storage bottlenecks in traditional architectures.
- Block-based I/O creates bottlenecks, especially for small I/O operations or shared storage environments.
- Intel Optane Persistent Memory provides persistent and byte-addressable storage, challenging the limitations of block-based I/O.
- Deos, a new software stack built on Intel Optane Persistent Memory, enables user space I/O processing and offers various interface options.
- Performance benefits include setting a new world record in file system performance and significant improvements in metadata and small I/O operations.
- Next-generation persistent memory shows promising performance enhancements in benchmark tests.
FAQ:
Q: How does Intel Optane Persistent Memory overcome storage bottlenecks?
- A: Intel Optane Persistent Memory addresses storage bottlenecks by providing persistent and byte-addressable storage, eliminating the limitations of block-based I/O. This enables more efficient data access and processing.
Q: What is Deos, and how does it improve storage performance?
- A: Deos is a software stack built on Intel Optane Persistent Memory. It performs I/O operations in user space, bypassing the kernel and reducing overhead. This leads to improved storage performance, especially for small I/O requests and metadata operations.
Q: What performance improvements have been achieved with Intel Optane Persistent Memory?
- A: Intel Optane Persistent Memory has achieved remarkable results, including setting a new world record in file system performance. The integration of persistent memory and the Deos software stack has significantly enhanced metadata performance, small I/O operations, and file system bandwidth.
Q: What does the future hold for Intel Optane Persistent Memory?
- A: The future looks promising for Intel Optane Persistent Memory, with advancements in next-generation persistent memory expected to further enhance storage performance. Benchmarking tests have already shown improvements in metadata performance and small I/O operations, indicating the potential for continued advancements.
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