Method, apparatus and program storage device for providing automatic performance optimization of virtualized storage allocation within a virtualized storage subsystem

• US 20060161753A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian J., Cherian, Neena A., Aschoff, John G.
• Application Number:
  US11/037,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A volume provisioning advisor for managing storage allocation in a plurality of virtual storage subsystems is disclosed. A request for data storage and workload requirements is received from a user. Performance information for storage controllers and managed disks within a virtualization engine is received. Resource groups are defined based on the received performance information and available managed disks, and their utilizations tracked. Resource group performance within the virtualization engine is predicted based on the user workload requirements and existing or historical resource group utilization. Storage is allocated to one or more managed disks within the virtualization engine based on predicted resource group performance.

Claims

1. A program storage device, comprising:

program instructions executable by a processing device to perform operations for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, the operations comprising;

defining workload profiles;

determining performance characteristics of managed disks;

determining relationships between the managed disks and resource groups; and

creating a virtual disk comprising a set of the managed disks based on resource groups that the managed disks are allocated to.

2. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the determining relationships is based on user input.

3. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the determining relationships is based on automatically provided input.

4. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the creating a virtual disk further comprises creating a plurality of virtual disks within the set of managed disks based on the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

5. The program storage device of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting locations for virtual disks by identifying a set of performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups including throughput capabilities for specific workloads; and

estimating optimal resource utilization based on performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups.

6. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the defining workload profiles further comprises selecting at least one selected from the group consisting of quantity of desired storage, identification of characteristics of the workload and desired level of throughput, and allocation hints.

7. The program storage device of claim 1 further comprising obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks.

8. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks further comprises providing manual input indicating performance capabilities of managed disks.

9. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks further comprises receiving performance capabilities from a managed disk configurator.

10. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the receiving performance capabilities from a managed disk configurator further comprises obtaining information on the performance characteristics of managed disks and their associated resource groups, wherein the resources groups identify potential relationships between managed disks.

11. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks further comprises performing a controlled calibration and using the results from the controlled calibration.

12. The program storage device of claim 11, wherein the performing a controlled calibration comprises running a specified I/O load against the managed disks to identify behavior of the managed disks.

13. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks further comprises performing an uncontrolled calibration and using the results from the uncontrolled calibration.

14. The program storage device of claim 9, wherein the performing an uncontrolled calibration comprises analyzing the performance behavior as applications run as uncontrolled workloads to identify behavior of the managed disks.

15. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the obtaining performance capabilities of managed disks further comprises receiving input from a user through an interface.

16. The program storage device of claim 1, wherein the determining performance characteristics of managed disks further comprises identifying resource groups the managed disks belong to.

17. A device for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, comprising:

memory for storing storage system information;

a processor, coupled to the memory, the processor being configured for providing a user interface for use in defining workload profiles and a virtual disk allocator for determining the performance characteristics of managed disks, determining relationships between managed disks and resource groups based on user defined or automated inputs and creating a virtual disk comprising a set of the managed disks considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor creates one or more virtual disks within the set of managed disks considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor allocator recommends locations for virtual disks by identifying a set of performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups including throughput capabilities for specific workloads and estimating optimal resource utilization based on performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the workload profiles comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of quantity of desired storage, identification of characteristics of the workload and desired level of throughput, and allocation hints.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor provides a graphic interface.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor provides a scripted application using a command line interface.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor provides a scripted application using an application programming interface (API)).

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor determines performance capabilities of managed disk using at least one from the group comprising manual input, a managed disk configurator, controlled calibration results, uncontrolled calibration results and standard interface input.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the manual input comprises a selection from performance profiles of managed disks.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the manual input comprises a selection from performance profiles resource group.

27. A method for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, comprising:

obtaining user defined workload profiles;

determining performance characteristics of managed disks;

recommending allocation of virtual disks comprising a set of the managed disks considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising creating a virtual disk comprising a set of the managed disk considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein creating a virtual disk further comprises identifying a set of performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups including throughput capabilities for specific workloads and estimating resource utilization derived from the identified set of performance properties associated with a set of managed disks and resource groups.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the obtaining user defined workload profiles further comprise selecting at least one from the group consisting of quantity of desired storage, identification of characteristics of the workload and desired level of throughput, and allocation hints.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the determining performance capabilities of managed disk comprises using at least one from the group consisting of manual input, obtain configuration data, controlled calibration results, uncontrolled calibration results and standard interface input.

32. A volume provisioning advisor for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, comprising:

a user interface for use in defining workload profiles; and

a virtual disk allocator, operatively coupled to the user interface, the virtual disk allocator determining the performance characteristics of managed disks, determining relationships between managed disks and resource groups based on user defined or automated inputs and creating a virtual disk comprising a set of the managed disks considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

33. The volume provisioning advisor of claim 32, wherein the workload profiles comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of quantity of desired storage, identification of characteristics of the workload and desired level of throughput, and allocation hints.

34. The volume provisioning advisor of claim 32, wherein a resource group comprises a name, performance attributes and a set of managed disks that belong to the resource group.

35. The volume provisioning advisor of claim 32, wherein a managed disk belongs to one or more resource group, wherein a resource groups identifies potential relationships among managed disks.

36. A volume provisioning advisor for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, comprising:

means for obtaining user defined workload profiles;

means for determining performance characteristics of managed disks; and

means for recommending allocation of virtual disks comprising a set of the managed disks considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.

37. A volume provisioning advisor for managing storage allocation in a virtual storage system, comprising:

means for obtaining user defined workload profiles;

means for determining performance characteristics of managed disks; and

means for creating a virtual disk comprising a set of the managed disk considering the resource groups to which the managed disks are allocated.