CAREER: Multicore-Based Parallel Disk Systems for Large-Scale Data-Intensive Computing

Auburn University, Auburn AL

Investigators

Abstract

To improve disk I/O performance, one may integrate multicore processors with parallel disk systems. Unfortunately, architectures and data processing algorithms for multicore-based parallel disk systems are still in their infancy. This motivates us to develop novel architectures for parallel disk systems, where significant multicore processing power and memory are integrated into parallel disk drives. This CAREER project provides the first parallel disk system in which large parts of data and I/O processing are offloaded to multicore processors, embedded in disk drives. The proposed techniques and mechanisms are highly adaptive to dynamic workloads with both large and small disk requests, making modern parallel disk systems leverage multicore processors for better performance and scalability. The overall objective of this CAREER Development project is to build hardware and software parallel disk architectures that put substantial multicore computing power on disks. The research consists of three basic tasks: (1) designing hardware and software architectures for multicore-based parallel disk systems, (2) developing multicore-based data processing techniques, and (3) building software performance models and an analysis toolkit. The educational plan include: (1) establishing a storage systems laboratory; (2) developing new courses; (3) implementing the concept of a mini-conference to educate students; and (4) increasing underrepresented student involvement in research activities. In addition, the project would benefit society by developing hardware and software modules for next-generation parallel disk systems, where multicore processors and disk drives are tightly integrated to boost disk I/O performance.