System for collecting end-user feedback and usability metrics

• US 10,379,744 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Iljazi, Ilir
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Otto, Alan
• Application Number:
  US15/215,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20180024883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method begins by communicating memory management information between a dispersed storage (DS) management unit and a plurality of DS execution units. The method continues by generating, by the DS management unit, managing use information. The method continues by sending the managing use information to a DS optimization unit. The method continues by receiving from the DS optimization unit optimization information based on an analysis of the sent managing use information. The method continues by updating a DS management unit managing approach based on the received optimization information.

Claims

1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:

communicating memory management information between a dispersed storage (DS) management unit and a plurality of DS execution units, wherein encoded data slices are dispersed in the plurality of DS execution units using a data segmenting protocol with per data segment encoding values including;

a pillar width, number (T) of encoded data slices per encoding of a data segment;

a decode threshold number (D) of encoded data slices of a set of encoded data slices that are needed to recover the data segment;

a read threshold number (R) of encoded data slices to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set to be read from storage for decoding of the data segment; and

a write threshold number (W) to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set that must be accurately stored before the encoded data slices are deemed to have been properly stored;

generating, by the DS management unit, managing use information, the managing use information including at least the memory management information;

sending the managing use information to a DS optimization unit;

receiving, from the DS optimization unit, optimization information based on an analysis of the sent managing use information, wherein the optimization information is further based on an analysis of tool utilization of the DS management unit; and

updating a DS management unit managing approach based on the received optimization information, wherein the DS management unit managing approach includes efficient utilization of at least a threshold number (D, R or W) of the DS execution units per a set of the DS execution units, wherein the updating further includes modifying the DS management unit managing approach by one or more of;

utilizing a new management tool, utilizing an updated diagnostic tool, or utilizing a different management workflow process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DS management unit managing approach includes one or more of:

deployment, configuration, utilization, or access utilizing managing tools.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the access utilizing managing tools include one or more of:

automatic configuration or manager device provided configuration.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises aggregating the managing use information for a plurality of the DS management units.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the aggregated managing use information further includes:

error detection, error detection timing information, error abatement timing information, or time delay before repair.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimization information is based on an analyses of aggregated managing use information to identify DS management tool optimization.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises summarizing the managing use information from a plurality of the DS management units.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the summarized managing use information includes DS management unit tool utilization.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the DS management unit tool utilization includes information of one or more of:

selection of management unit tool implemented, identification of DS management unit implementing the management unit tool, time the management unit tool was used, which portion of the management unit tool was implemented, or estimated tool effectiveness.

10. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:

receiving managing use information, from a DS management unit, managing use information including at least memory management information communicated between a dispersed storage (DS) management unit and a plurality of DS execution units, wherein encoded data slices are dispersed in the plurality of DS execution units using a data segmenting protocol with per data segment encoding values including a pillar width, number (T) of encoded data slices per encoding of a data segment;

a decode threshold number (D) of encoded data slices of a set of encoded data slices that are needed to recover the data segment;

a read threshold number (R) of encoded data slices to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set to be read from storage for decoding of the data segment; and

/or a write threshold number (W) to indicate a number of encoded data slices per set that must be accurately stored before the encoded data slices are deemed to have been properly stored;

analyzing the managing use information;

sending, to the DS management unit, optimization information based on the analyzing of the managing use information, wherein the optimization information is further based on an analysis of tool utilization of the DS management unit; and

updating a DS management unit managing approach based on the optimization information, wherein the DS management unit managing approach includes efficient utilization of at least a threshold number (D, R or W) of the DS execution units per a set of the DS execution units, wherein the updating further includes modifying the DS management unit managing approach by one or more of;

utilizing a new management tool, utilizing an updated diagnostic tool, or utilizing a different management workflow process.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the optimization information is based on an analysis of an aggregation of the managing use information to identify tool optimization.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the DS management unit managing approach includes one or more of:

deployment, configuration, utilization, or access utilizing managing tools.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access utilizing managing tools include one or more of:

automatic configuration or manager device provided configuration.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprises aggregating the managing use information for a plurality of the DS management units.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprises DS management unit tool utilization including of one or more of:

selection of management unit tool implemented, identification of manager implementing the management unit tool, time the management unit tool was used, which portion of the management unit tool was implemented, or estimated tool effectiveness.