Rule-based performance analysis of storage appliances

• US 20070027985A1
• Filed: 08/01/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Network Appliance Incorporated (NetApp, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hackworth, Brian, Ramany, Swami
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A rule-based performance analysis tool and a method analyze metrics from a network storage system and generate recommendations for resolving actual or anticipated performance problems. The tool and method collect system metrics from one or more sources, including a storage appliance and optional user-reported comments and/or information about proposed changes to the network storage system. A rule base is applied against the collected metrics and user inputs. Each rule is associated with one or more metrics and has one or more threshold values. A rule can analyze a rate of change of a metric. For each triggered rule, the tool provides an output that includes an explanation of the rule, a suggested action to alleviate or avoid the problem that triggered the rule and, optionally, a priority level. The outputs are presented in a hierarchical display.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing performance of a storage system that includes a client computer connected via a network to a storage appliance, the method comprising:

collecting operating metrics from the storage appliance;

inputting an indication of user-perceived performance of at least a portion of the storage system;

applying a rule base to the operating metrics and the indication of user-perceived performance; and

if a rule of the rule base is triggered by the indication of user-perceived performance and at least a portion of the operating metrics, outputting a recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule and is related to improving the performance of at least a portion of the storage system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule base comprises:

for each of at least some of the rules;

comparing a first predetermined value associated with the rule to one of the operating metrics;

comparing a second predetermined value associated with the rule to the indication of user-perceived performance; and

triggering the rule only if the indication of user-perceived performance is equivalent to the second predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the rule base comprises:

for each of at least some of the rules;

calculating a rate of change of one of the operating metrics;

comparing a predetermined value associated with the rule to the calculated rate of change; and

triggering the rule only if the calculated rate of change is equivalent to the predetermined value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting second operating metrics from the client; and

wherein applying the rule base comprises applying the rule base to the second operating metrics.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting second operating metrics from another storage appliance; and

wherein applying the rule base comprises applying the rule base to the second operating metrics.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for at least one triggered rule, determining a priority level associated with the rule and outputting an indication of the priority level with the recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the recommended action comprises displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy, the hierarchy comprising nodes, each node corresponding to a plurality of related rules.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy comprises:

displaying at least one icon, each icon representing a respective node of the hierarchy;

in response to a first invocation of one of the at least one icon, displaying information about at least some of the rules that correspond to the represented node; and

in response to a second invocation of the icon, ceasing to display the information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

for at least one triggered rule, determining a priority level associated with the rule; and

wherein displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy comprises, for at least one displayed node of the hierarchy, displaying an indication of the highest priority determined among the plurality of related rules corresponding to the node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the operating metrics comprises storing each of the operating metrics in a node of a tree data structure.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inputting information about a proposed change to the storage system; and

wherein applying the rule base comprises;

for each of at least some of the rules;

comparing a predetermined value associated with the rule to the information about the proposed change to the storage system; and

triggering the rule only if the information about the proposed change is equivalent to the predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the operating metrics comprises collecting at least a portion of the operating metrics only if a predetermined operating metric meets a predetermined criterion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein collecting the operating metrics comprises:

beginning to collect at least a portion of the operating metrics when a predetermined operating metric meets a predetermined criterion; and

ceasing to collect the at least the portion of the operating metrics when the predetermined metric ceases to meet the predetermined criterion.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

inputting information about a proposed change to the storage system; and

wherein applying the rule base comprises;

for each of at least some of the rules;

comparing a predetermined value associated with the rule to the information about the proposed change to the storage system; and

triggering the rule only if the information about the proposed change is equivalent to the predetermined value;

for each of at least some of the rules;

comparing a first predetermined value associated with the rule to one of the operating metrics;

comparing a second predetermined value associated with the rule to the indication of user-perceived performance;

triggering the rule only if the indication of user-perceived performance is equivalent to the second predetermined value; and

for each of at least some of the rules;

calculating a rate of change of one of the operating metrics;

comparing a third predetermined value associated with the rule to the calculated rate of change; and

triggering the rule only if the calculated rate of change is equivalent to the third predetermined value;

further comprising;

for at least one triggered rule, determining a priority level associated with the rule and outputting an indication of the priority level with the recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule;

wherein outputting the recommended action comprises displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy, the hierarchy comprising nodes, each node corresponding to a plurality of related rules; and

wherein displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy comprises, for at least one displayed node of the hierarchy, displaying an indication of the highest priority determined among the plurality of related rules corresponding to the node.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

collecting the operating metrics comprises collecting information about a version of software being executed by the storage appliance; and

applying the rule base comprises comparing a predetermined value to the information about the version of the software.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the operating metrics to a remote location before applying the rule base to the operating metrics.

19. A method for analyzing performance of a storage system that includes a client computer connected via a network to a storage appliance, the method comprising:

collecting operating metrics from the storage appliance, comprising collecting at least a portion of the operating metrics only if a predetermined operating metric meets a predetermined criterion;

applying a rule base to the operating metrics; and

if a rule of the rule base is triggered by at least a portion of the operating metrics, outputting a recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule and is related to improving the performance of at least a portion of the storage system.

17. The method of claim 19, wherein sending the operating metrics comprising sending an e-mail message to the remote location.

18. The method of claim 19, wherein sending the operating metrics comprising establishing a file transfer session with the remote location.

20. A method for analyzing performance of a storage system that includes a client computer connected via a network to a storage appliance, the method comprising:

collecting operating metrics from the storage appliance;

applying a rule base to the operating metrics; and

if a rule of the rule base is triggered by at least a portion of the operating metrics, outputting a recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule and is related to improving the performance of at least a portion of the storage system, comprising displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy, the hierarchy comprising nodes, each node corresponding to a plurality of related rules.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying the recommended action in an expandable/collapsible hierarchy comprises:

displaying at least one icon, each icon representing a respective node of the hierarchy;

in response to a first invocation of one of the at least one icon, displaying information about at least some of the rules that correspond to the represented node; and

in response to a second invocation of the icon, ceasing to display the information.

22. A performance analysis system comprising:

a memory storing computer instructions;

a processor executing the instructions, the instructions causing the processor to be operable to;

read operating metrics collected from a storage appliance and an indication of user-perceived performance of at least a portion of a storage system;

apply a rule base to the operating metrics and the indication of user-perceived performance; and

if a rule of the rule base is triggered by the indication of user-perceived performance and at least a portion of the operating metrics, output a recommended action that corresponds to the triggered rule and is related to improving the performance of at least a portion of the storage system.

23. The performance analysis system of claim 22, wherein the instructions cause the processor to be operable to display information about elements of a storage network and, responsive to an input from a user, control the elements of the storage network.