Storage management system, storage management server, and method and program for controlling data reallocation

A storage management system comprising at least:

• a storage apparatus comprising one or more volumes for storing data;
• and
• a storage management server for managing data reallocation between or among volumes in the storage apparatus, which are connected in the system, wherein the storage management server comprises:
• a storing portion for including and storing volume property information for managing a volume property indicating a property of each of the volumes, a classification policy which is a condition for classifying the volumes in regard to the volume property, and a data allocation policy for managing a request from a user relevant to data allocation;
• and
• a control portion for classifying the volumes based on the volume property information and the classification policy in advance, reallocating data in a moving source volume specified by the user to a volume meeting a class specified by the user or a class meeting the data allocation policy, and expelling data present in a reallocation destination as needed.

A method for controlling data reallocation in which a storage management server controls data reallocation between or among volumes of different classes, in a storage management system which virtually and unitarily manages a plurality of storage apparatuses each comprising one or more volumes for storing data, and classifies and manages the volumes according to a classification policy defined by the user, wherein the storage management server includes and executes the steps of:

• receiving a reallocation request that includes specifying moving target data and specifying a moving destination class or data allocation policy;
• setting a class that meets the data allocation policy as a moving destination class when the data allocation policy was specified;
• selecting a volume of a moving destination candidate from unused volumes which belong to the moving destination class;
• selecting as candidate data to be expelled, data conforming to a classification policy of a class other than the moving destination class, out of data stored in a volume in use which belongs to the moving destination class, in case no unused volume could be found which can be a volume of moving destination candidate;
• reallocating the candidate data to be expelled and the moving target data;
• and
• holding a classification policy of the moving destination class or the data allocation policy, in relation to the reallocated moving target data.

A method for controlling data reallocation in which a storage management server controls data reallocation between or among volumes of different classes, in a storage management system which manages a storage apparatus comprising one or more volumes for storing data, and classifies and manages the volumes according to a classification policy defined by the user, wherein the storage management server includes and executes the steps of:

• receiving a reallocation request that includes specifying moving target data and specifying a moving destination class or data allocation policy;
• setting a class that meets the data allocation policy as a moving destination class when the data allocation policy was specified;
• selecting a volume of a moving destination candidate from unused volumes which belong to the moving destination class;
• selecting as candidate data to be expelled, data conforming to a classification policy of a class other than the moving destination class, out of data stored in a volume in use which belongs to the moving destination class, in case no unused volume could be found which can be a volume of moving destination candidate;
• reallocating the candidate data to be expelled and the moving target data;
• and
• holding a classification policy of the moving destination class or the data allocation policy, in relation to the reallocated moving target data.