System and method for automatically redistributing metadata across managers

A method for redistributing metadata across metabases, the method comprising:

• conveying data from a plurality of hosts to one or more storage pools, wherein said plurality of hosts are coupled to said one or more storage pools via a network;
• storing metadata associated with said data in a metabase included in a first metadata server, wherein said metabase is coupled to at least one storage pool of said one or more storage pools via a network and coupled to a first host and a second host of said plurality of hosts via a network, wherein said metabase comprises metadata for both a first host and a second host of the plurality of hosts;
• detecting that an amount of data stored in said metabase has reached a threshold value;
• wherein in response to said detecting:
• generating a query to discover whether there are metabases other than the first metabase coupled to the system that have capacity available for storing additional metadata;
• identifying a second metabase of a second metabase server as being a metabase that has capacity available for storing additional metadata, responsive to said query;
• identifying one or more hosts of the plurality of hosts that have metadata stored in said first metabase;
• selecting a particular host of the one or more hosts for redistribution;
• adding a connection link between the second metabase server and the particular host responsive to selecting said particular host for redistribution, wherein the second metabase server is different from the first metabase server;
• redistributing at least a portion of the metadata associated with the particular host from the first metabase server to the second metabase of the second metabase server;
• and
• configuring the particular host to utilize the second metabase server for accesses to said at least a portion of the metadata instead of the first metabase server.

A computer readable medium storing computer instructions that are executable by a processor to:

• convey data from a plurality of hosts to one or more storage pools, wherein said plurality of hosts are coupled to said one or more storage pools via a network;
• store metadata associated with said data in a metabase included in a first metadata server, wherein said metabase is coupled to at least one storage pool of said one or more storage pools via a network and coupled to a first host and a second host of said plurality of hosts via a network, wherein said metabase comprises metadata for both a first host and a second host of the plurality of hosts;
• detect that an amount of data stored in said metabase has reached a threshold value;
• wherein in response to said detection:
• generate a query to discover whether there are metabases other than the first metabase coupled to the system that have capacity available for storing additional metadata;
• identify a second metabase of a second metabase server as being a metabase that has capacity available for storing additional metadata, responsive to said query;
• identify one or more hosts of the plurality of hosts that have metadata stored in said first metabase;
• select a particular host of the one or more hosts for redistribution;
• add a connection link between the second metabase server and the particular host, wherein the second metabase server is different from the first metabase server;
• redistribute at least a portion of the metadata associated with the particular host from the first metabase server to the second metabase of the second metabase server;
• and
• configure the particular host to utilize the second metabase server for accesses to said at least a portion of the metadata instead of the first metabase server.