Workload-aware storage-location system

A method for provisioning a plurality of physical storage volumes, the method comprising:

• receiving a first workload profile and a first capacity profile for a first volume of the plurality of physical storage volumes, and a second workload profile and a second capacity profile for a second volume of the plurality of physical storage volumes,
• where the first volume belongs to a first physical storage pool of a plurality of physical storage pools and the second volume belongs to a second physical storage pool of the plurality of physical storage pools,
• where the first workload profile identifies a workload that was directed to the first volume at a past time, and
• where the first capacity profile identifies an amount of physical storage capacity that was allocated from the first volume at a past time;
• predicting a future amount of physical storage expected to be allocated from the first volume at a future time;
• forecasting, as a function of the first workload profile, the first capacity profile, and the future amount of physical storage, a forecasted workload expected to be directed to the first volume at the future time;
• determining that directing the forecasted workload to the first volume at the same time that the predicted amount of physical storage is allocated from the first volume would exceed a maximum capacity of the first pool;
• and
• resolving the conflict by directing set of client computer-storage controllers to migrate the first volume from the first pool to the second pool.

A computer program product, comprising a computer-readable hardware storage device having a computer-readable program code stored therein, the program code configured to be executed by a storage-allocation system comprising:

• a processor,
• a memory coupled to the processor,
• a computer-readable hardware-storage device coupled to the processor, where the storage device contains program code configured to be run by the processor via the memory to implement a method for provisioning a plurality of physical storage volumes, and
• a set of client computer-storage controllers coupled to the processor,
• the method comprising:
• receiving a first workload profile and a first capacity profile for a first volume of the plurality of physical storage volumes, and receiving a second workload profile and a second capacity profile for a second volume of the plurality of physical storage volumes,
• where the first volume belongs to a first physical storage pool of a plurality of physical storage pools and the second volume belongs to a second physical storage pool of the plurality of physical storage pools,
• where the first workload profile identifies a workload that was directed to the first volume at a past time, and
• where the first capacity profile identifies an amount of physical storage capacity that was allocated from the first volume at a past time;
• predicting a future amount of physical storage expected to be allocated from the first volume at a future time;
• forecasting, as a function of the first workload profile, the first capacity profile, and the future amount of physical storage, a forecasted workload expected to be directed to the first volume at the future time;
• determining that directing the forecasted workload to the first volume at the same time that the predicted amount of physical storage is allocated from the first volume would exceed a maximum capacity of the first pool;
• and
• resolving the conflict by directing the client computer-storage controllers to migrate the first volume from the first pool to the second pool.