US 8,019,706 B2Granted

Storage system dynamic classification

AssigneeOracle America, Inc.

InventorsCarl T. Madison, Jr., John R. Kostraba, Jr.

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Abstract

The classification of data stored on a storage medium is dynamically modified without the data being relocated to another storage medium. Data stored on a plurality of storage mediums is classified independent of the physical location at which the data resides. Rather than moving data to storage media that possess different classifications, the data itself receives a classification apart from the storage medium. Data which is considered high priority would be afforded maximum use of the storage medium resources and bandwidth availability. Data that is of lower interest is classified with a lower classification resulting in differing levels of resources authorized to access that data. Throughout this reclassification process the data remains resident on the same storage medium.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for dynamic classification of data, the system comprising:

a plurality of storage media;
a plurality of data portions stored among the plurality of storage media, wherein each data portion is associated with a data classification, and wherein each data classification conveys a level of resources to be used by a storage medium during access of an associated data portion from the storage medium;
and
a data classification module communicatively coupled to the plurality of storage media, wherein the data classification module is configured to dynamically modify each data classification as a function of a need for its associated data portion from a respective storage medium;
wherein responsive to an increase in need for a data portion, the data classification module is operable to dynamically modify the data classification of the data portion in a manner indicating that a greater level of resources of an associated storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the data portion;
and
wherein responsive to a decrease in need for a data portion, the data classification module is operable to dynamically modify the data classification of the data portion in a manner indicating that a lower level of resources of an associated storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the data portion.

4 more elements

A computer implemented method for dynamic classification of a plurality of data portions in a storage system, each data portion being stored in one of a plurality of storage media of the storage system, and the method comprising:

associating a first data classification with a first data portion of the plurality of data portions, wherein the first data portion is stored on a first storage medium of the plurality of storage media, and wherein the first data classification identifies a first priority of resources to be expended with respect to retrieval of the first data portion from the first storage medium;
and
replacing the first data classification with an updated first data classification responsive to a change in demand for the first data portion, wherein the updated first data classification identifies a different priority of resources to be expended with respect to retrieval of the first data portion from the first storage medium, wherein the updated first data classification indicates that a greater quantity of resources of the first storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the first data portion responsive to the change in demand being an increase in demand for the first data portion, and wherein the updated first data classification indicates that a lower quantity of resources of the first storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the first data portion responsive to the change in demand being a decrease in demand for the first data portion.

A computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine wherein said program of instruction comprises a plurality of program codes for dynamic classification of data, said program of instructions comprising:

one of said program codes for associating a data classification with a data portion, wherein the data portion is stored on a storage medium, and wherein the data classification identifies a degree to which resources of the storage medium are to be utilized to provide access to the data portion on the storage medium;
and
one of said program codes for modifying the data classification associated with the data portion free of moving the data portion from the storage medium, wherein the modified data classification identifies a different degree to which resources of the storage medium are to be utilized to provide access to the data portion on the storage medium, wherein the program code for modifying the data classification modifies the data classification of the data portion in a manner indicating that a greater level of resources of the storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the data portion responsive to an increase in need for the data portion, and wherein the program code for modifying the data classification modifies the data classification of the data portion in a manner indicating that a lower level of resources of the storage medium are to be expended during a subsequent access of the data portion responsive to a decrease in need for the data portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/147,241Filed 26 Jun 2008
Published: US 2009/0327180 A131 Dec 2009
Granted: 13 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 3/0613
Improving I/O performance: in relation to throughput
G06F 3/0631
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by allocating resources to storage systems
G06F 3/0685
Plurality of storage devices: hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays
G06F
Computing and data processing