Intelligent path selection and load balancing

A system comprising:

• a centralized processing circuit,
• a plurality of persistent storage targets,
• a first input-output processor, and
• a second input-output processor, the centralized processing circuit being configured to:
• determine whether the first input-output processor is connected to a first target of the plurality of persistent storage targets, the first input-output processor being connected to a first sub-set of the plurality of persistent storage targets;
• determine whether the second input-output processor is connected to the first target, the second input-output processor being connected to a second sub-set of the plurality of persistent storage targets comprising at least one persistent storage target that is different from at least one of the first sub-set;
• and
• in response to determining that
• the first input-output processor is connected to the first target from among the first sub-set, and
• the second input-output processor is connected to the first target from among the second sub-set,
• dispatch a first plurality of input-output requests, each to either
• the first input-output processor or
• the second input-output processor,
• the dispatching being in proportion to
• a service rate of the first input-output processor to the first target and
• a service rate of the second input-output processor to the first target, respectively.

A method for dispatching input-output in a system, the system comprising:

• centralized means for processing,
• a plurality of persistent storage targets,
• a first input-output processor, and
• a second input-output processor, the method comprising:
• determining whether the first input-output processor is connected to a first target of the plurality of persistent storage targets, the first input-output processor being connected to a first sub-set of the plurality of persistent storage targets;
• determining whether the second input-output processor is connected to the first target, the second input-output processor being connected to a second sub-set of the plurality of persistent storage targets comprising at least one persistent storage target that is different from at least one of the first sub-set;
• in response to determining that both
• the first input-output processor is connected to the first target from among the first sub-set, and
• the second input-output processor is connected to the first target from among the second sub-set,
• dispatching a first plurality of input-output requests, each to either
• the first input-output processor or
• the second input-output processor,
• the dispatching being in proportion to
• a service rate of the first input-output processor to the first target and
• a service rate of the second input-output processor to the first target, respectively.