System and method for allocation of organizational resources

• US 20080059704A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kavuri, Srinivas
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

System and methods for storing electronic data is provided, where the system comprises a storage manager component and a management module associated with the storage manager component. The management module is configured to receive information related to storage activities associated with one or more storage operation components within the storage operation system under the direction of the storage manager component. The management module is adapted to predict storage operation resource allocations based on the received information related to the storage activities.

Claims

1. A method for allocating hierarchical resources in a storage system, comprising:

identifying information relating to hierarchical operation of the storage system;

collecting information identified in the identifying step;

analyzing collected information to predict hierarchical growth in the storage system; and

allocating storage system resources based on a prediction of hierarchical growth in the storage system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying further comprises identifying information representing past operation of the storage system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identifying further comprises specifying a time period of interest and identifying data within the time period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the time period of interest is specified by a user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the time period of interest is determined by software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the allocating storage system resources is based on a comparison of hierarchical growth, with system operational requirements or preferences.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the allocating storage system resources further comprises:

determining a difference, if any, between a current state of storage system operation and system operational requirements or preferences;

determining at what point in the future, if any, based on the prediction of hierarchical growth, that system operation exceeds system operational requirements or preferences; and

allocating system resources such that system operational requirements or preferences are not exceeded.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing is based on analysis of storage system resources specified by a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing is based on analysis of clients or sub-clients.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing is based on analysis of storage devices or storage media.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing is based on analysis of data transfer paths.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the growth of storage system resources includes analyzing the hierarchical growth of one or more of the resources of the group comprising:

clients or sub-clients, media agents, storage devices and storage media and data transfer paths.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing further comprises analyzing a utilization of storage system resources.

14. A storage operation system, comprising:

storage manager component; and

reporting module associated with the storage manager component, the reporting module configured to receive information related to storage activities of one or more hierarchically grouped storage operation components associated with the storage manager component;

herein the reporting module is configured to retrieve information from the storage operation system and generate performance reports based on the retrieved information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the reporting module generates performance reports based on hierarchical storage system resources specified by a user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the reporting module generates performance reports based on pre-existing hierarchical groups of storage system resources specified by a user.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more performance reports are generated based on analysis of data relating to clients or sub-clients.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more performance reports are generated based on analysis of data relating to hierarchically related storage devices or storage media.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more performance reports are generated based on analysis of data relating to data transfer paths.