System for improving the performance of a disk storage device by reconfiguring a logical volume of data in response to the type of operations being performed
AssigneeEMC Corporation
InventorEitan Bachmat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring a file or logical volume stored on a magnetic disk storage system for optimal performance. The magnetic disk storage system contains a cache volume constituted as free storage. When appropriate, a file can be copied from its normal storage location to the cache volume with a different format to optimize the file for subsequent operations. After such operations are complete, the file can be transferred from the cache volume back to the normal storage location in the original format.
Claims24
A method for improving the performance of disk storage devices that store data in a first data block in one of said disk storage devices according to a first of a plurality of possible file formats and that operates in response to data transfer requests, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) establishing a second data block in one of the disk storage devices for storing data;
- B) determining conditions when it is desirable to process the data in the first data block according to a second of a plurality of formats;
- C) copying the data in the first file format from the first data block to the second data block in the second file format;
- and
- D) redirecting further data transfer requests from an application for data in the first data block to the second data block.
Data processing means for processing applications wherein a first data storage block stores data in a first of a plurality of possible file formats and that operates in response to data transfer requests from at least one application directed to the first data storage block, means for improving processing performance comprising:
- A) means for establishing a second data storage block;
- B) means for determining conditions when it is desirable for an application to process the data in the first data storage block according to a second of the plurality of the file formats;
- C) means for copying the data in the first file format from the first data storage block to the second data storage block in the second file format;
- and
- D) means for redirecting further data transfer requests from an application for data in the first data storage block to the second data storage block.
A data processing means for processing data in response to an application comprising:
- A) a first storage element of a given medium configured to store data according to a first file format;
- B) a second storage element of the given medium having storage adapted to be configured according to a second file format;
- and
- C) a storage element manager that responds to a predetermined event by transferring data from said first storage element to said second storage element to be stored in the second file format and thereafter directs application generated data transfer requests to said second storage element.
A method for improving data processing performance wherein a first storage element of a given medium is configured to store data according to a first file format, the data in the first storage element being accessible to at least one application, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) establishing a second storage element of the given medium having storage adapted to be configured according to a second file format;
- B) responding to a predetermined event by transferring data from the first storage element to said second storage element to be stored in the second file format;
- and
- C) enabling an application to interact with the data in the second storage element and disabling access to the data in the first storage element.
A method for improving data processing performance wherein data is stored in logical volumes including a first logical volume of a predetermined size with a first of a plurality of possible formats and that operates in response to data transfer requests, said method comprising the steps of:
- A) establishing a second logical volume block of at least the predetermined size for storing data;
- B) determining conditions when it is desirable to process the data in the first logical volume according to a second format;
- C) copying the data in the first format from the first logical volume to the second logical volume in the second format concurrently with transfer requests to the first logical volume;
- and
- D) redirecting further data transfer requests to the second logical volume.
Means for improving data processing performance wherein data is stored in logical volumes including a first logical volume of a predetermined size with a first of a plurality of possible formats and that operates in response to data transfer requests, said performance improving means comprising:
- C) means for establishing a second logical volume block of at least the predetermined size for storing data;
- D) means for determining conditions when it is desirable to process the data in the first logical volume according to a second format;
- E) means for concurrently copying the data in the first format from the first logical volume to the second logical volume in the second format concurrently with transfer requests to the first logical volume;
- and
- F) means for redirecting further data transfer requests to the second logical volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.