Storage UI/UX — Improve visibility of physical storage usage and capacity forecasting #3229
Description
Problem Statement
Users need clear insight into how much data they can still write to their databases. In YDB, calculating available space isn’t straightforward, but we can show physical storage metrics and forecast capacity based on workload patterns.
Currently, users encounter inconsistent storage data from different sources, rounding errors.
Objectives
- Show physical storage breakdown by object type (system vs. user data: column/row tables, topics, etc.) and indicate how much more data (in MB/GB/TB) can be written based on load patterns.
- Improve transparency of real disk usage across key UI sections.
- Fix inconsistencies in storage calculations across data sources.
Proposed Changes
1. Storage overview page — capacity forecasting & breakdown
- Display used space on disks with a clear breakdown: System data / User data (split into row tables, column tables, topics, etc.)
- Show estimated writable remaining capacity (MB/GB/TB) based on current load pattern.
- Add example context: “Based on your current usage, you can still store approximately: N large files (similar to your existing ‘X’ table) M small files (similar to your ‘Y’ topic)”
- Visual: Progress bar + textual summary + example-based hints.
2. Top Tables section — clarify real physical size
- Relabel “Top Tables” → “Top 3 Tables by Physical Storage” or similar.
- For each table, show logical size (user data) vs. physical size on disk.
- Example: “Table A: 1 KB logical → 24 MB physical on disk”
3. Tablet (and schema object) physical storage view
- Add a section in the database/tablet view showing actual storage consumption.
- Explain what tablets are in this context (storage groups in YDB).
4. Table Info page — disk usage & distribution
Under table info, show:
- Real physical size on disk
- Number of storage groups (tablets) where it’s stored
- Breakdown by media type (SSD/HDD)
5. Media type breakdown
In relevant storage summaries, split usage by SSD vs. HDD (if applicable).
6. Improve “VDisks” → “PDisks” navigation and clarity
Many users don’t know how to navigate from VDisk to PDisk.
On the PDisk page, show:
- Host, Data center, Rack/Server
- Redesign sensors: Use compact square indicators with tooltips.
- Add flow animation on the VDisk page to illustrate data movement between VDisks and PDisks.