Methods, systems, and physical computer storage media for processing a plurality of input/output request jobs

A system for processing a plurality of input/output (IO) request jobs comprising:

• a database defining a corresponding quality of service (QoS) target for each IO request job included in the plurality of IO request jobs, a corresponding priority for each IO request job, and a delay factor limit for each IO request job;
• a processor in communication with the database, the processor configured:
• to determine whether one or more IO request jobs are not meeting the corresponding quality of service (QoS) target,
• to select a highest priority job from the plurality of IO request jobs,
• to determine whether the highest priority job has a corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon, if one or more IO request jobs of the plurality of IO request jobs are not meeting the QoS target,
• if the highest priority job has the corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon, to relax the corresponding effective rate limit of the highest priority job, and
• if the highest priority job does not have the corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon, to select one or more lower priority jobs from the one or more IO request jobs and to tighten the corresponding effective limit on the one or more lower priority jobs from the one or more IO request jobs in accordance with a delay factor limit,
• wherein to select the one or more lower priority jobs includes:
• beginning at a lowest priority job, determining whether the lowest priority job is being throttled to a throttle limit;
• if the lowest priority job is not being throttled to the throttle limit, imposing the throttle limit on the lowest priority job to provide an amount of help, wherein an amount by which the corresponding effective rate limit is relaxed is based in part on the amount of help;
• and
• if the lowest priority job is being throttled to the throttle limit, advancing to a next higher priority level job.

A non-transient physical computer storage medium comprising a computer program product method for processing a plurality of input/output (IO) request jobs, the physical computer storage medium comprising:

• computer code for determining whether one or more IO request jobs are not meeting a quality of service (QoS) target, each IO request job of the one or more IO request jobs having a corresponding priority;
• computer code for selecting a highest priority job from the one or more IO request jobs;
• computer code for determining whether the highest priority job has a corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon, if one or more IO request jobs are not meeting the QoS target;
• computer code for relaxing the corresponding effective rate limit, if the highest priority job has the corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon;
• and
• computer code for selecting one or more lower priority jobs from the one or more IO request jobs and tightening a corresponding effective limit on the one or more lower priority jobs from the one or more IO request jobs in accordance with a delay factor limit, if the highest priority job does not have the corresponding effective rate limit imposed thereon,
• wherein selecting one or more lower priority jobs includes:
• beginning at a lowest priority job, determining whether the lowest priority job is being throttled to a throttle limit;
• if the lowest priority job is not being throttled to the throttle limit, imposing the throttle limit on the lowest priority job to provide an amount of help, wherein an amount by which the corresponding effective rate limit is relaxed is based in part on the amount of help;
• and
• if the lowest priority job is being throttled to the throttle limit, advancing to a next higher priority level job.