Apparatus and method to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system

• US 20070174672A1
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kubo, Robert, Benhase, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1662 the resynchronized component or unit being a persistent storage device re-synchronization of failed mirror storage G06F11/2082; rebuild or reconstruction of parity RAID storage G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0614 Improving the reliability of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A method is disclosed to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system. The method supplies a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of the plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare device. The method then detects an unassigned data storage device, and determines if any of the plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array. If the method determines that any of the plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, then the method determines if the unassigned data storage device can be used to restore the degraded data storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency. If the method determines that the unassigned data storage device can be used restore the degraded array to an array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, then the method reconfigures the degraded data storage array to comprise the unassigned data storage device.

Claims

1. A method to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system, comprising the steps of:

supplying a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of said plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare data storage device;

detecting an unassigned data storage device;

determining if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array;

operative if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore said degraded data storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used restore said degraded array to an array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining if reconfiguring said degraded data storage array created a different unassigned data storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of a degraded data storage array;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, reconfiguring said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of determining if reconfiguring said degraded data storage array created a different unassigned data storage device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

operative if none of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, designating said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, designating said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to include said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring to comprise said unassigned data storage device said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to include said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance to include said unassigned data storage device.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of said plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare data storage device, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

detecting an unassigned data storage device;

determining if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array;

operative if none of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, designating said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device;

operative if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore said degraded data storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used restore said degraded array to an array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of a degraded data storage array;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, reconfiguring said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, designating said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said article of manufacture comprises a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of said plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare data storage device.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to include said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring to comprise said unassigned data storage device said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and optimal performance to include said unassigned data storage device;

operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance;

operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance, reconfiguring said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance to include said unassigned data storage device.

16. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code embodied therein to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of said plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare data storage device, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to detect an unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array;

computer readable program code which, if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore said degraded data storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used restore said degraded array to an array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of a degraded data storage array;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded data storage array to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if none of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, causes said programmable computer processor to designate said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability, performance, or efficiency of said degraded data storage array, causes said programmable computer processor to designate said unassigned data storage device as a spare data storage device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and optimal efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to include said unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the performance and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the performance and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency to include said unassigned data storage device;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to increase the reliability and/or the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, optimal performance, and degraded efficiency, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance;

computer readable program code which, if said unassigned data storage device can be used to increase the efficiency of a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded efficiency, and optimal performance, causes said programmable computer processor to reconfigure said degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance to include said unassigned data storage device.