Adaptive Scheduling Of Storage Operations Based On Utilization Of Multiple Client And Server Resources In A Distributed Network Storage System

A method of operating a storage client in a network storage system that includes a storage server and the storage client, the method comprising:

• determining in the storage client a current utilization of computing resources of the storage client;
• computing a bid value in the storage client based on the current utilization of the computing resource of the storage client;
• receiving a price value from the storage server, the price value having been computed by the storage server based on a current utilization of computing resources of the storage server;
• generating a request in the storage client for the storage server to perform a storage operation;
• and
• determining a disposition of the request based on a relationship between the bid value and the price value.

A method of operating a network storage system that includes a storage server and a plurality of storage clients, the method comprising:

• in the storage server,
• determining a current utilization of computing resources of the storage server,
• computing a price value based on the current utilization of computing resources of the storage server, and
• sending the price value to each of the storage clients;
• and
• in each of the storage clients,
• determining a current utilization of computing resources of the storage client,
• computing a bid value for an asynchronous file system operation, based on the current utilization of the computing resource of the storage client,
• generating a request for the storage server to perform the asynchronous filesystem operation, and
• determining a disposition of the request based on a relationship between the bid value and the price value, wherein
• when the asynchronous filesystem operation is an asynchronous write, the storage client defers sending the request to the storage server if the bid value is less than the price value and accelerates execution of the write if the bid value is greater than the price value, and
• when the storage operation is an asynchronous read, the storage client cancels the request if the bid value is less than the price value.

A processing system configured to operate as a network endpoint in a network storage system, the processing system comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface through which to communicate with another network endpoint via a network;
• and
• a storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processing system to perform a process that includes:
• determining a current utilization of a computing resource of the processing system;
• computing a first value based on the current utilization of the computing resource of the processing system;
• and
• determining a disposition of a request for a storage operation in the network storage system, based on a relationship between the first value and a second value, the second value having been computed based on a current utilization of resources of the network storage system that are outside said processing system.