Category based space allocation for multiple storage devices

A method for carrying out a request to allocate space within one or more storage devices, comprising:

• receiving, from a storage manager, a request that includes:
• identifications of the one or more storage devices, and
• a size of data to be stored;
• selecting, from the one or more storage devices, at least one storage device in which an amount of space equal to the size of data can be allocated;
• allocating, within each of the selected storage devices, an amount of space equal to the size of data;
• and
• transmitting, to the storage manager, information about the space allocations.

A method for adding a storage device to a collection of storage devices, comprising:

• detecting the addition of the storage device;
• executing one or more benchmark tests against the storage device to establish characteristics of the storage device;
• identifying, based on the established characteristics of the storage device, at least one storage functionality that the storage device is capable of supporting;
• and
• updating a data structure to include at least one reference to the storage device.

A system for carrying out a request to store data generated by an application, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive, from the application, the request to store data;
• determine a storage functionality associated with the request, wherein the storage functionality is implementable using one or more storage devices;
• transmit, to a space allocator:
• identifications of the one or more storage devices, and
• a size of the data;
• receive, from the space allocator, information about space allocated within at least one of the one or more storage devices;
• and
• issue, based on the information, one or more In/Out (I/O) commands to store the data in a manner that implements the storage functionality.

A system for carrying out a request to allocate space within one or more storage devices, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• receive, from a storage manager, a request that includes:
• identifications of the one or more storage devices, and
• a size of data to be stored;
• select, from the one or more storage devices, at least one storage device in which an amount of space equal to the size of data can be allocated;
• allocate, within each of the selected storage devices, an amount of space equal to the size of data;
• and
• transmit, to the storage manager, information about the space allocations.