Passing hint of page allocation of thin provisioning with multiple virtual volumes fit to parallel data access

A storage system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• a plurality of virtual volumes to be allocated pages from a storage pool of volumes;
• and
• a storage write module configured to receive a write request with parallel information for parallel data access, the write request containing file data to be written to virtual volumes in the storage system, the parallel information being assigned by a metadata server and added by the metadata server to a data layout of the file data to be written in the plurality of virtual volumes which are allocated pages from the storage pool of volumes,
• wherein the storage write module, upon receiving the write request, from the client, with the parallel information assigned by the metadata server, allocates, based on the parallel information, pages from the storage pool to the plurality of virtual volumes for writing the file data, so that the data layout is striped and the allocated pages fit striped data access according to the striped data layout among the plurality of virtual volumes;
• wherein the parallel information assigned to the write request by the metadata server has two parts, a first part being an index indicating a position of the file data in a stripe width and a second part being the stripe width indicating into how many volumes the file data is striped;
• and
• wherein the storage write module selects pages from the storage pool to be allocated to the virtual volume for writing the file data according to P mod N=n, where P is a number representing parallel capacity of the storage pool, the parallel capacity meaning how many volumes can be accessed simultaneously, where N is the stripe width of the parallel information, and where n is the index of the parallel information.

A page allocation method in a system which includes a storage system, a metadata server, and a client coupled via a network, the storage system including a processor, a memory, and a plurality of virtual volumes to be allocated pages from a storage pool of volumes, the method comprising:

• adding, by the metadata server, parallel information for parallel data access to a data layout of file data which is contained in a write request from the client and which is to be written in the plurality of virtual volumes in the storage system that are allocated pages from the storage pool of volumes;
• receiving, by the storage system, the write request from the client having the parallel information assigned by the metadata server;
• allocating by the storage system, based on the parallel information assigned by the metadata server, pages from the storage pool to the plurality of virtual volumes for writing the file data, so that the data layout is striped and the allocated pages fit striped data access according to the striped data layout among the plurality of virtual volumes;
• wherein the parallel information assigned to the write request by the metadata server has two parts, a first part being an index indicating a position of the file data in a stripe width and a second part being the stripe width indicating into how many volumes the file data is striped;
• and
• selecting, by the storage system, pages from the storage pool to be allocated to the virtual volume for writing the file data according to P mod N=n, where P is a number representing parallel capacity of the storage pool, the parallel capacity meaning how many volumes can be accessed simultaneously, where N is the stripe width of the parallel information, and where n is the index of the parallel information.