Aggregated background processing in a data storage system to improve system resource utilization

A computerized apparatus, comprising a set of processing units and memory, coupled to the set of processing units, the memory storing instructions for aggregating background processing which, when executed by the set of processing units, cause the set of processing units to:

• provide blocks within an address space of a file system, wherein the file system is internal to the data storage system, wherein the file system maps files to the blocks in the address space, wherein each file implements a corresponding data object that is accessible to at least one host computer, and wherein blocks in the address space also correspond to non-volatile storage provisioned from a set of storage devices that provide storage for the file system;
• identify blocks within the address space having contents on which a background data operation has not previously been performed;
• and
• while performing the background data operation on the contents of the blocks identified within the address space as having contents on which the background data operation has not previously been performed, i) identify blocks having contents on which the background data operation has not previously been performed and that will no longer be accessed by the host computer, and ii) prevent the background data operation from being performed on blocks having contents on which the data operation has not previously been performed and that will no longer be accessed by the host computer.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium including instructions which, when executed by a set of processing units of a computerized apparatus, cause the set of processing units to perform a method for aggregating background processing performed in a data storage system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing blocks within an address space of a file system, wherein the file system is internal to the data storage system, wherein the file system maps files to the blocks in the address space, wherein each file implements a corresponding data object that is accessible to at least one host computer, and wherein blocks in the address space also correspond to non-volatile storage provisioned from a set of storage devices that provide storage for the file system;
• identifying blocks within the address space having contents on which a background data operation has not previously been performed;
• and
• while performing the background data operation on the contents of the blocks identified within the address space as having contents on which the background data operation has not previously been performed, i) identifying blocks having contents on which the background data operation has not previously been performed and that will no longer be accessed by the host computer, and ii) preventing the background data operation from being performed on blocks having contents on which the data operation has not previously been performed and that will no longer be accessed by the host computer.