Storage system and storage area allocation method having an automatic tier location function

A storage system comprising:

• a plurality of kinds of storage media, wherein a plurality of pools are configured from the plurality of kinds of storage media;
• a processor configured to allocate a virtual storage area to a storage area of one storage medium from among the plurality of kinds of storage media;
• and
• a memory configured to have monitoring information indicating a number of accesses to an allocated storage area, a first load index value of a first cycle for the allocated storage area, and a second load index value of a second cycle for the allocated storage area,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• cyclically record the number of accesses to the allocated storage area in the memory;
• update the first load index value of the first cycle for the allocated storage area based on a weighted average obtained by weighting the recorded number of accesses and the first load index value at a ratio of P1 to P2, where P1 is more than 0 and P2 is equal to or more than 0;
• update the second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area based on a weighted average obtained by weighting the recorded number of accesses and the second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area, at a ratio of Q1 to Q2, where Q1 is more than 0 and Q2 is equal to or more than 0 and a relationship represented by the following is satisfied:
• (P2/P1)>(Q2/Q1), the second cycle being longer than the first cycle;
• receive a read command;
• in response to receiving the read command, determine whether the read command is for data that exists in a cache memory, and:
• on a condition that the read command is for data that does not exist in the cache memory, read the data from the storage media and update the monitoring information to increment the number of accesses to the allocated storage area, and
• on a condition that the read command is for data that exists in the cache memory, do not update the monitoring information;
• determine whether data exists in the cache memory that has not been written to the storage media, and:
• on a condition that data exists in the cache memory that has not been written to the storage media, write the data from cache memory into the storage media and update the monitoring information to increment the number of accesses to the allocated storage area;
• receive at least one setting for at least two monitor modes, the at least two monitor modes including at least a weighted mode and a non-weighted mode, wherein the at least one setting designates a particular pool of the plurality of pools;
• on a condition that the received at least one setting is for the weighted mode, reallocate the virtual storage area to a storage area of a different kind of storage medium from among the plurality of kinds of storage media, based on a frequency distribution of the plurality of pools that is created based on a third load index value that is an average value or maximum value of the updated first load index value of the first cycle for the allocated storage area and the updated second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area;
• and
• on a condition that the received at least one setting is for the non-weighted mode, reallocate the virtual storage area to a storage area of a different type of storage medium, from among the plurality of kinds of storage media, based on the number of accesses instead of the third load index value.

A storage area allocation method for a storage system comprising a plurality of kinds of storage media, a processor configured to allocate a virtual storage area to a storage area of one storage medium from among the plurality of kinds of storage media, wherein a plurality of pools are configured from the plurality of kinds of storage media, and a memory configured to have monitoring information indicating a number of accesses to an allocated storage area, a first load index value of a first cycle for the allocated storage area, and a second load index value of a second cycle for the allocated storage area,

• wherein the processor is configured for:
• cyclically recording the number of accesses to the allocated storage area in the memory;
• updating the first load index value of the first cycle for the allocated storage area based on a first weighted average of the recorded number of accesses and the first load index value of the first cycle for the allocated storage area;
• updating the second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area based on a second weighted average of the recorded number of accesses and the second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area, a ratio of weights of the second weighted average being different from that of the first weighted average, the second cycle being longer than the first cycle;
• receiving a read command;
• in response to receiving the read command, determining whether the read command is for data that exists in a cache memory, and:
• on a condition that the read command is for data that does not exist in the cache memory, reading the data from the storage media and updating the monitoring information to increment the number of accesses to the allocated storage area, and
• on a condition that the read command is for data that exists in the cache memory, not updating the monitoring information;
• determining whether data exists in the cache memory that has not been written to the storage media, and:
• on a condition that data exists in the cache memory that has not been written to the storage media, writing the data from cache memory into the storage media and updating the monitoring information to increment the number of accesses to the allocated storage area;
• receiving at least one setting for at least two monitor modes, the at least two monitor modes including at least a weighted mode and a non-weighted mode, wherein the at least one setting designates a particular pool of the plurality of pools;
• on a condition that the received at least one setting is for the weighted mode, reallocating the virtual storage area to a storage area of a different kind of storage medium from among the plurality of kinds of storage media, based on a frequency distribution of the plurality of pools that is created based on a third load index value that is an average value or maximum value of the updated first load index value of the first cycle for the allocated storage area and the updated second load index value of the second cycle for the allocated storage area;
• and
• on a condition that the received at least one setting is for the non-weighted mode, reallocating the virtual storage area to a storage area of a different type of storage medium, from among the plurality of kinds of storage media, based on the number of accesses instead of the third load index value.