Performance of backup operations in an order determined using service-metadata associated with backup requests

A computer program product for determining resource allocation in a backup environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

• receive, by the computer, a plurality of backup requests at a data storage system having a data storage library, at least some of the backup requests having unique service-metadata associated therewith,
• wherein the data storage library is divided into at least two logical libraries, the backup requests being serviced by one of the logical libraries,
• wherein the logical libraries are located across more than one physical library frame;
• place, by the computer, each backup request in a backup queue, wherein an ordering of the backup requests within the backup queue is based at least in part on the unique service-metadata associated with the at least some backup requests,
• wherein placing each backup request in the backup queue includes determining, by the computer, a group to which the backup request belongs, a group ranking of the group, and a sub-ranking for each of the backup requests within each group,
• wherein each group ranking is determined from service level data of the unique service-metadata associated with the at least some backup requests,
• wherein each sub-ranking is determined based on a sub-ranking priority value calculated using the unique service-metadata;
• perform, by the computer, backup operations on the data storage system according to the ordering of the backup requests within the backup queue;
• and
• in response to a determination that a sub-ranking priority value of a first backup request is greater than a predetermined threshold priority value, recruiting, by the computer, an unused drive from another of the logical libraries to assist in performing a backup operation corresponding to the first backup request.

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to:
• receive a plurality of backup requests at a data storage system having a data storage library, at least some of the backup requests having unique service-metadata associated therewith,
• wherein the data storage library is divided into at least two logical libraries, the backup requests being serviced by one of the logical libraries;
• place each backup request in a backup queue, wherein an ordering of the backup requests within the backup queue is based at least in part on the unique service-metadata associated with the at least some backup requests,
• wherein placing each backup request in the backup queue includes determining a group to which the backup request belongs, a group ranking of the group, and a sub-ranking for each of the backup requests within each group,
• wherein each group ranking is determined from service level data of the unique service-metadata,
• wherein each sub-ranking is determined based on a sub-ranking priority value calculated using the unique service-metadata associated with the at least some backup requests;
• perform backup operations on the data storage system according to the ordering of the backup requests within the backup queue;
• and
• in response to a determination that a sub-ranking priority value of a first backup request is greater than a predetermined threshold priority value, recruit an unused drive from another of the logical libraries to assist in performing a backup operation corresponding to the first backup request.