FAWN
A Fast Array of Wimpy Nodes
fast, scalable, power-efficient
key-value storage
Introducing the FAWN
cluster architecture for providing fast, scalable, and
power-efficient key-value storage. A FAWN links
together a large number of tiny nodes built using embedded
processors and small amounts (2--16GB) of flash
memory into an ensemble capable of handling 700
queries per second per node, while consuming fewer than 4
watts of power per node.
We have designed and implemented a clustered key-value
storage system, FAWN-DHT, that runs atop these node. Nodes
in FAWN-DHT use a specialized log-like back-end hash-based
database to ensure that the system can absorb the large
write workload imposed by frequent node arrivals and
departures. FAWN uses a two-level cache hierarchy to
ensure that imbalanced workloads cannot create hot-spots on
one or a few wimpy nodes that impair the system's ability
to service queries at its guaranteed rate.
Our evaluation of a small-scale FAWN cluster and several
candidate FAWN node systems suggest that FAWN can be a
practical approach to building large-scale storage for
seek-intensive workloads. Our further analysis indicates
that a FAWN cluster is cost-competitive with other
approaches (e.g., DRAM, multitudes of magnetic disks,
solid-state disk) to providing high query rates, while
consuming 3-10x less power.
FAWN: A Fast Array of Wimpy Nodes
David Andersen,
Jason Franklin,
Amar Phanishayee,
Lawrence Tan, and
Vijay Vasudevan
Carnegie Mellon University PDL Tech. Report CMU-PDL-08-108, May 2008.
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