Dynamically expanding storage capacity of a storage volume
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsJames Louis Long, Matthew D. Haines, Charles Martin McJilton
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Abstract
A storage system includes at least one storage device on which are provided data storage volumes and an extended storage volume. The data storage volumes include a first data storage volume that is implemented with a data protection mechanism, and a second data storage volume that is implemented without the data protection mechanism. Also, an extended storage volume is provided that is initially un-allocated to any of the data storage volumes. A controller dynamically allocates at least one portion of the extended storage volume to the particular data storage volume to dynamically expand storage capacity of the particular data storage volume.
Claims17
A storage system comprising:
- at least one storage device, wherein a plurality of data storage volumes are provided by the at least one storage device to store data, wherein a first of the plurality of data storage volumes is implemented with a data protection mechanism, and a second of the plurality of data storage volumes is implemented without the data protection mechanism, and wherein at least one extended storage volume initially un-allocated to any of the plurality of data storage volumes is also provided by the at least one storage device, wherein the at least one extended storage volume has a plurality of portions of different sizes;
- and
- a controller to, in response to usage of a particular one of the plurality of data storage volumes, dynamically allocate a portion of the extended storage volume to the particular data storage volume to dynamically expand storage capacity of the particular data storage volume, wherein the dynamically allocated portion of the extended storage volume is a dynamically selected one of the plurality of portions of different sizes, wherein the controller is to progressively select larger size portions of the extended storage volume with an increasing number of times that allocations of additional storage space are made to the particular data storage volume.
A method for use in a storage system having storage devices, comprising:
- providing a plurality of data storage volumes on the storage devices, wherein at least one of the data storage volumes employs a data protection mechanism, and another of the data storage volumes is without any data protection mechanism;
- providing an extended storage volume on the storage devices, wherein the extended storage volume contains portions initially un-allocated to the data storage volumes, wherein the portions of the extended storage volume are of different sizes;
- detecting that a particular one of the data storage volumes is to expand during operation of the storage system;
- and
- dynamically allocating a portion of the extended storage volume to the particular data storage volume in response to determining that the particular data storage volume is to be expanded, wherein the dynamically allocated portion of the extended storage volume is a dynamically selected one of the portions of different sizes, wherein the allocating progressively selects larger size portions of the extended storage volume with an increasing number of times that allocations of additional storage space are made to the particular data storage volume.
An article comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a controller to:
- provide a plurality of data storage volumes on the storage devices, wherein at least one of the data storage volumes employs a RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) protection mechanism, and another of the data storage volumes is without any RAID protection mechanism;
- provide an extended storage volume on the storage devices, wherein the extended storage volume contains portions initially un-allocated to the data storage volumes, wherein the portions of the extended storage volume are of different sizes;
- detect that a particular one of the data storage volumes is to expand during operation of the storage system;
- and
- dynamically allocate a portion of the extended storage volume to the particular data storage volume in response to determining that the particular storage volume is to be expanded, wherein the dynamically allocated portion of the extended storage volume is a dynamically selected one of the portions of different sizes, wherein the allocating progressively selects larger size portions of the extended storage volume with an increasing number of times that allocations of additional storage space are made to the particular data storage volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.