Method and system for intelligent storage management

• US 20040098383A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Softek Storage Solutions Corp. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Dunning, John, Thomson, James, Letourneau, Guy, Kay, Michael, Gagnon, Robert, Calde, Steven, Tabellion, Nicholas, Schoolcraft, Heidi, Pare, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A storage management system is provided. The storage management system may includes a data collector configured to receive storage management information for storage. The storage manager includes an agent configured to collect storage management information for a storage object and to communicate the storage management information to the data collector. The storage management system includes a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the storage objects.

Claims

1. A storage management system, comprising:

a data collector configured to receive storage management information for a plurality of storage objects;

an agent configured to collect storage management information for a first storage object of the plurality of storage objects, and to communicate the storage management information for the first storage object to the data collector;

a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the plurality of storage objects; and

an action set engine to interrogate the storage management information and to execute an automatable action.

2. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the agent is configured to collect the storage management information for the first storage object and communicate the storage management information for the first storage object to the data collector at a predetermined set of periodic times.

3. The storage management system of claim 2, wherein

the user interface is further configured to allow a user to specify the predetermined set of periodic times.

4. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface is further configured to allow a user to request a real-time update of the storage management information for the first storage object, and

the agent is further configured to collect fresh storage management information for the first storage object and communicate the fresh storage management information to the data collector, upon a request by the user for the real-time update of the storage management information for the first storage object.

5. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the first storage object is a server.

6. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the first storage object is a file system.

7. The storage management system of claim 6, wherein

the storage management information for the first storage object includes the amount of file space used in the file system.

8. The storage management system of claim 6, wherein

the storage management information for the first storage object includes the size of the file system.

9. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the first storage object is a file.

10. The storage management system of claim 9, wherein

the storage management information for the first storage object includes the size of the file.

11. The storage management system of claim 9, wherein

the storage management information for the first storage object includes the time the file was last accessed.

12. The storage management system of claim 9, wherein

the storage management information for the first storage object includes the file type.

13. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface is further configured to allow the user to choose between graphical and numeric displays of the storage management information.

14. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface further includes a freshness indicator.

15. The storage management system of claim 13, wherein

the freshness indicator is configured to provide a graphical indication of an elapsed time since the storage management information was collected.

16. The storage management system of claim 15, wherein

the user interface is further configured to display a collection time associated with the storage management information.

17. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface further includes a filter, the filter configured to selectively display a subset of the storage management information regarding the plurality of storage objects, the subset of the storage management information regarding the plurality of storage objects selected according to a predefined selection criterion.

18. The storage management system of claim 17, wherein

the filter is configured to allow a user to select the predefined selection criterion from a menu of options.

19. The storage management system of claim 17, wherein

the predefined selection criterion is whether a file system exceeds a threshold percentage of capacity.

20. The storage management system of claim 17, wherein

the predefined selection criterion is whether a file exceeds a threshold size.

21. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface further includes a sort configured to reorder the storage management information regarding the plurality of storage objects according to a predefined ordering criterion.

22. The storage management system of claim 21, wherein

the sort is configured to allow a user to select the predefined ordering criterion from a menu of options.

23. The storage management system of claim 21, wherein

the predefined ordering criterion is the time since the most recent use of a file.

24. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the agent is configured to perform an action upon the storage object.

25. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the action is deleting the storage object.

26. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the action is archiving the storage object.

27. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the action is backing-up the storage object.

28. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the action is compressing a storage object.

29. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the action is changing an attribute of a storage object.

30. The storage management system of claim 29, wherein

the attribute of the storage object includes a size.

31. The storage management system of claim 29, wherein

the attribute of the storage object includes a type.

32. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the user interface further includes an action input interface, the action input interface configured to allow a user to specify an action.

33. The storage management system of claim 24, wherein

the user interface further includes a previewer configured to allow the user to view the effect of the action without having the effects of the action take place.

34. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface further includes a policy input interface, the policy input interface configured to allow the user to select a policy, the policy associating a target, a condition, and an action.

35. The storage management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a policy database, the policy database containing a plurality of policy entries, each entry including information identifying a respective target, a respective condition, and a respective action.

36. The storage management system of claim 34, wherein

the agent is configured to perform the action on the storage object, if the policy is activated and the storage object is the target and the condition is satisfied.

37. The storage management system of claim 36, wherein

the condition is a periodic event.

38. The storage management system of claim 36, wherein

the storage object is a file, and the condition is the file being of a predetermined type and exceeding a predetermined age threshold.

39. The storage management system of claim 36, wherein

the storage object is a file, and the condition is the file being of a predetermined type and exceeding a predetermined size threshold.

40. The storage management system of claim 34, wherein

the user interface further includes a previewer, the previewer configured to preview an allow the user view the effect of a policy without having the effect of the policy take place.

41. The storage management system of claim 40,

the previewer is further configured to generate a log.

42. The storage management system of claim 41, wherein

the log includes a list of files affected by the action of the policy.

43. The storage management system of claim 32, wherein

the user interface includes a context selection interface configured to allow the user to select a context, and wherein the agent is configured to apply the policy to all storage objects of a selected type in the context.

44. The storage management system of claim 43, wherein

the context is a named file system.

45. The storage management system of claim 43, wherein

the context is all file systems except a named file system.

46. The storage management system of claim 43, wherein

the context is all files systems with free space less than a threshold amount.

47. The storage management system of claim 32, wherein

the user interface is configured to allow a user to specify a user-selected group of action rules to be applied to a user-selected group of file systems.

48. The storage management system of claim 47, wherein

the action rules include a file filter.

49. The storage management system of claim 1, wherein

the user interface is configured to accept a user command to perform a manual action on the storage object.

50. The storage management system of claim 49, wherein

the manual action includes a manual refresh action to update storage management information for the storage object.

51. The storage management system of claim 50, wherein

the manual refresh action includes refresh choices, the refresh choices including an entire list refresh, a selected items refresh, and an entire system refresh.

59. The method for managing storage objects of claim 30, wherein

the target storage object is a user specified file system, the condition is the file system exceeding a capacity threshold, and the action is deleting files of a user specified type on the file system.

60. The method for managing storage objects of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a user input specifying a context for the policy; and

applying the policy to all storage objects in the context.

61. The method for managing storage objects of claim 30, further comprising:

displaying storage management information for a first storage object.

62. The method for managing storage objects of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a user request to perform a manual action on the first storage object;

performing the manual action on the first storage object in response to the user request.

63. The method for managing storage objects of claim 32, further comprising:

displaying freshness information indicating how recently the storage management information for the first storage object has been updated.

64. The method for managing storage objects of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving a user request to update the storage management information for the first storage object; and

updating the storage management information for the first storage object in response to the user request.

65. The method for managing storage objects of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a user indication of a first action to be performed on the first storage object; and

previewing the effect of the first action on the first storage object.

67. The article of manufacture of claim 60, wherein said steps further comprising:

receiving a user input specifying a context for the policy;

applying the policy to all storage objects in the context;

displaying storage management information for a first storage object;

receiving a user request to update the storage management information for the first storage object; and

updating the storage management information for the first storage object in response to the user request.

52. A storage management system, comprising:

a data collector configured to receive storage management information for a plurality of file systems;

an agent configured to collect storage management information for a first file system of the plurality of storage objects, and to communicate the storage management information for the first file system to the data collector at a predetermined set of periodic times,

the agent further configured to collect fresh storage management information for the first file system and communicate the fresh storage management information to the data collector, upon a request by a user for the real-time update of the storage management information for the first file system;

the agent is configured to perform an action upon the storage object, the action including at least on of backing-up, deleting, compressing, and archiving the storage object; and

a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the plurality of file systems,

the user interface further including

a policy input interface, the policy input interface configured to allow the user to select a policy, the policy associating a target, a condition, and an action,

an action input interface, the action input interface configured to allow the user to specify an action,

a filter, the filter configured to selectively display a subset of the storage management information regarding the plurality file systems,

a previewer configured to allow the user to view the effect of the action without having the effects of the action take place,

the user interface further configured

to allow the user to choose between graphical and numeric displays of the storage management information,

to allow the user to specify the predetermined set of periodic times,

to allow the user to request a real-time update of the storage management information for the first file system, and

to display a collection time associated with the storage management information.

54. The display for a storage management system of claim 52, wherein

the action pane is further configured to display a menu of predefined actions for selection by the user.

55. The display for a storage management system of claim 52, wherein,

the action pane is further configured to display a policy associating an action, a target storage object, and a condition.

56. The display for a storage management system of claim 52, wherein,

the storage pane is further configured to display detailed storage management information for a first storage object of the plurality of storage objects in response to a selection by the user of the first storage object.

57. The display for a storage management system of claim 52, wherein

the storage pane further includes a freshness indicator configured to display information indicative of the time elapsed since the storage management information associated with the at least one of the plurality of storage objects has been updated.

53. A display for a storage management system, comprising:

a storage pane configured to display storage management information associated with at least one of a plurality of storage objects;

an alert pane configured to display a user notification when a predetermined condition occurs in the at least one of the plurality of storage objects;

an action pane configured to display information facilitating selection by a user of actions to be performed on the at least one of a plurality of storage objects.

58. A method for managing storage objects, comprising:

receiving user input specifying a policy, the policy associating at least one target storage object, a condition, and an action;

detecting that the condition has been satisfied by the at least one target storage object; and

performing the action on the target storage object upon detection of the condition.

66. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, define a series of steps to be used to control a method for storage management, said steps comprising:

receiving user input specifying a policy, the policy associating at least one target storage object, a condition, and an action;

detecting that the condition has been satisfied by the at least one target storage object; and

performing the action on the target storage object upon detection of the condition.

68. A method of automatic storage provisioning, comprising:

defining a virtual volume to meet a desired characteristic;

assigning the virtual volume to a storage manager;

assigning the virtual volume to a storage requirement and a storage pool;

enabling an auto-provisioning on a managed host;

defining an action set for the auto-provisioning;

collecting volume statistics to trigger the action set;

assigning the virtual volume to the managed host according to a best-fit size; and

notifying the managed host on a procedure for the virtual volume.

69. A storage management system, comprising:

an arrangement to display when storage when available storage is expected to be exhausted based on a historical trend.

70. The storage management system of claim 69, further comprising:

an arrangement to display a centralized view of a diverse set of storage objects.

71. The storage management system of claim 70, further comprising:

an arrangement to link a detection of a low resources condition with an automatic provisioning of an additional resource.