Metrics driven expansion of capacity in solid state storage systems

A system comprising:

• a. a plurality of existing physical storage devices, each existing physical storage device logically divided, either explicitly or implicitly, into a plurality of split address spaces;
• b. one or more processors;
• c. a memory comprising code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method comprising:
• i. monitoring a total capacity value for the existing plurality of physical storage devices to determine if the total capacity value exceeds a utilization limit, wherein:
• 1. if the total capacity value exceeds the utilization limit, determining when the total capacity value will exceed a critical capacity limit;
• and
• 2. if the total capacity value will exceed the critical capacity limit within a system performance evaluation period, adding at least one additional physical storage device to the data storage system;
• ii. storing a data growth rate in the memory;
• and
• d. storing a plurality of data access rates in the memory, wherein the plurality of data access rates are correlated with a plurality of data blocks located in a plurality of splits in the plurality of existing physical storage device.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having software stored thereon for a data storage system including a plurality of first physical storage devices, each first physical storage device logically divided, either explicitly or implicitly, into a plurality of first split address spaces, the software comprising:

• a. executable code that monitors a total capacity value for the existing plurality of physical storage devices to determine if the total capacity value exceeds a utilization limit, wherein:
• i. if the total capacity value exceeds the utilization limit, determining when the total capacity value will exceed a critical capacity limit;
• and
• ii. if the total capacity value will exceed the critical capacity limit within a system performance evaluation period, adding at least one additional physical storage device to the data storage system;
• b. executable code that stores a data growth rate in the memory;
• and
• c. executable code that stores a plurality of data access rates in the memory, wherein the plurality of data access rates are correlated with a plurality of data blocks located in a plurality of splits in the plurality of existing physical storage device.