US 8,285,959 B2 · Method for placement of virtual volume hot-spots in storage pools using ongoing load measurements and ranking

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for providing data element placement in a storage system via a Dynamic Storage Tiering (DST) mechanism, such that improved system efficiency is promoted. For example, the DST mechanism may implement an algorithm for providing data element placement. The data elements (ex.—virtual volume hot-spots) may be placed into storage pools, such that usage of higher performing storage pools is maximized. Hot-spots may be detected by dynamically measuring load on LBA ranges. Performance of the storage pools may be measured on an ongoing basis. Further, the hot-spots may be ranked according to load, while storage pools may be ranked according to measured performance. If a hot-spot's load decreases, the hot-spot may be moved to a lower performing storage pool. If a hot-spot's load increases, the hot-spot may be moved to a higher performing storage pool.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for providing data element placement in a storage system via a Dynamic Storage Tiering (DST) mechanism, said method comprising:

organizing a plurality of storage pools of the storage system into a hierarchy based on relative performance levels of the storage pools;
placing a plurality of data elements into the plurality of storage pools based on relative activity levels of the data elements;
monitoring the plurality of data elements and the plurality of storage pools of the storage system;
determining a load of a first data element included in the plurality of data elements;
using the load of the first data element to determine a level of misfit between the first data element and a first storage pool;
and
comparing the level of misfit with a misfit standard.

4 more elements

A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable non-transitory medium bearing:
computer-usable code configured for organizing a plurality of storage pools of a storage system into a hierarchy based on relative performance levels of the storage pools;
computer-usable code configured for placing a plurality of data elements into the plurality of storage pools based on relative activity levels of the data elements;
computer-usable code configured for monitoring the plurality of data elements and the plurality of storage pools of the storage system;
computer-usable code configured for determining a load of a first data element included in the plurality of data elements;
computer-usable code configured for determining a level of misfit between the first data element and a first storage pool using the load of the first data element;
and
comparing the level of misfit with a misfit standard.

5 more elements

A method for providing data element placement in a storage system via a Dynamic Storage Tiering (DST) algorithm, said method comprising:

organizing a plurality of storage pools of the storage system into a hierarchy based on relative performance levels of the storage pools;
placing a plurality of data elements into the plurality of storage pools based on relative activity levels of the data elements;
monitoring the plurality of data elements and the plurality of storage pools of the storage system;
determining a load of a first data element included in the plurality of data elements;
and
determining a load range for a first storage pool included in the plurality of storage pools, the first data element being located in the first storage pool, the first storage pool having a first performance level;
using the load of the first data element to determine a level of misfit between the first data element and the first storage pool;
and
comparing the level of misfit with a misfit standard.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for placement of virtual volume hot-spots in storage pools using ongoing load measurements and ranking

Life of this patent

Method for placement of virtual volume hot-spots in storage pools using ongoing load measurements and ranking

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20