Method, system, and program for writing files to zone formatted storage media to improve data transfer rates
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKamal Emile Dimitri, John Edward Kulakowski, Rodney Jerome Means, Daniel James Winarski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system, method, and program for writing data to a storage medium formatted into a plurality of zones. Each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and the innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones. A request is received to write a file to the storage medium. A determination is made of a utilization factor for the file and one zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor. The file is written to the determined zone.
Claims50
A method for writing data to a storage medium formatted into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones, comprising:
- receiving a request to write a file to the storage medium;
- determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- determining one zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- writing the file to the determined zone.
A method for rearranging a plurality of files on a storage medium zone formatted, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones, comprising:
- for each of the plurality of files on the storage medium, comprising:
- (i) determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- (ii) determining a zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- (iii) writing each file to the determined zone for the file.
A system for writing data, comprising:
- a storage medium formatted into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones;
- means for receiving a request to write a file to the storage medium;
- means for determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- means for determining one zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- means for writing the file to the determined zone.
A system for rearranging a plurality of files, comprising:
- a storage medium zone formatted, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones;
- means for performing, for each of the plurality of files on the storage medium:
- (i) determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- (ii) determining a zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- (iii) means for writing each file to the determined zone for the file.
An article of manufacture for writing data to a storage medium formatted into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outermost zones, wherein the article of manufacture is comprised of code enabling operations comprising:
- receiving a request to write a file to the storage medium;
- determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- determining one zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- writing the file to the determined zone.
An article of manufacture for rearranging a plurality of files on a storage medium zone formatted, wherein each zone comprises at least one circumferential track, wherein each track comprises a plurality of addressable sectors, and wherein innermost zones have fewer sectors than outennost zones, wherein the article of manufacture is comprised of code enabling operations comprising:
- for each of the plurality of files on the storage medium, comprising:
- (i) determining a utilization factor for the file indicating a utilization rate for a measured period of time for a controller writing the file to the storage medium, wherein files are written to relatively outer zones when the controller has a higher utilization rate and files are written to relatively inner zones when the controller has a relatively lower utilization rate;
- (ii) determining a zone for the file based on the determined utilization factor;
- and
- (iii) writing each file to the determined zone for the file.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.