Optimization of a Computing Environment in which Data Management Operations are Performed

• US 20110138154A1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tevis, Gregory John, Van Hise, David Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Described are embodiments of an invention for optimizing a computing environment that performs data management operations such as encryption, deduplication and compression. The computing environment includes data components and a management system. The data components operate on data during the lifecycle of the data. The management system identifies all the data components in a data path, how the data components are interconnected, the data management operations performed at each data component, and how many data management operations of each type are performed at each data component. Further, the management system builds a data structure to represent the flow of data through the data path and analyzes the data structure in view of policy. After the analysis, the management system provides recommendations to optimize the computing environment through the reconfiguration of the data management operation configuration and reconfigures the data management operation configuration to optimize the computing environment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for data management in a computing environment, comprising:

discovering data components of said computing environment, wherein at least one data component performs a data management operation;

creating a data flow topology representing a data path through said data components; and

optimizing said data path by analyzing said data flow topology.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein discovering data components comprises identifying each data component within said computing environment and determining a configuration of each data component.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said data flow topology comprises a data structure representing said data components, interconnections between said data components, and a configuration of each of said data components.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein said configuration comprises at least one of a back pointer, a forward pointer, a data component ID, a data component type, a data component vendor, a data component product, a data component location, data component processor, an encryption type, a deduplication type, a compression type, an encryption operation, a deduplication operation, a compression operation, encryption capability, a deduplication capability, compression capability, encryption transparency, and a compression transparency.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein said data flow topology provides an order of said data management operations performed on data.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said data management operation is one of encryption, deduplication, and compression.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein said optimizing comprises reconfiguring said configuration of at least one data component such that a data management policy is met.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein said data management policy comprises at least one of avoiding redundant encryption, avoiding redundant deduplication, avoiding redundant compression, avoiding the performance of encryption before deduplication, and avoiding the performance of encryption before compression.

9. A computer implemented method for data management of a computing environment, comprising:

analyzing a data flow topology of data components within said computing environment, wherein said data flow topology comprises an order of data management operations performed on data;

evaluating said data flow topology in view of a data management policy; and

determining an optimal sequence of said data management operations within said computing environment.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising providing a recommended configuration of said data components within said computing environment to achieve said optimal sequence of data management operations.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, further comprising executing said recommended configuration of said data components within said computing environment.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein said data flow topology comprises a data structure representing said data components, interconnections between said data components and said configuration of each data components.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein said configuration comprises at least one of a back pointer, a forward pointer, a data component ID, a data component type, a data component vendor, a data component product, a data component location, data component processor, an encryption type, a deduplication type, a compression type, an encryption operation, a deduplication operation, a compression operation, encryption capability, a deduplication capability, compression capability, encryption transparency, and a compression transparency.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising in response to determining an optimal sequence of said data management operations within said computing environment reconfiguring said data components.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein a data management operation is one of encryption, deduplication, and compression.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein said optimal sequence comprises a sequence of data management operations that meets data management policy.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein said data management policy comprises at least one of avoiding redundant encryption, avoiding redundant deduplication, avoiding redundant compression, avoiding the performance of encryption before deduplication, and avoiding the performance of encryption before compression.

18. A computing environment comprising:

a processor of a management system;

a memory coupled to said processor;

said memory including computer readable instructions implemented by said processor to;

discover data components of said computing environment, wherein each data component performs a data management operation;

create a data flow topology representing a data path through said data components; and

optimize said data path by analyzing said data flow topology.

19. The computing environment of claim 18, wherein said data flow topology comprises a data structure representing said data components, interconnections between said data components, and a configuration of each of said data components.

20. The computing environment of claim 18, wherein said data flow topology provides an order of said data management operations performed on data.

21. The computing environment of claim 18, wherein said data management operation is one of encryption, deduplication, and compression.

22. The computing environment of claim 18, wherein said computer readable instructions wherein implemented on a computer causes the computer to optimize said data path by reconfiguring said configuration of at least one data component such that said computing environment avoids redundant encryption, avoids redundant deduplication, avoids redundant compression, avoids the performance of encryption before deduplication, or avoids the performance of encryption before compression.

23. A computing environment comprising:

a processor of a management system;

a memory coupled to said processor;

said memory including computer readable instructions implemented by said processor to;

analyze a data flow topology of data components within said computing environment, wherein said data flow topology comprises an order of data management operations performed on data;

evaluate said data flow topology in view of a data management policy; and

determine an optimal sequence of said data management operations within said computing environment.

24. The computing environment of claim 23, wherein the computer readable instructions wherein implemented on a computer further causes the computer to provide a recommended configuration of said data components within said computing environment to achieve said optimal sequence of data management operations and executing said recommended configuration of said data components within said computing environment.

25. The computing environment of claim 23, wherein the computer readable instructions wherein implemented on a computer further causes the computer to reconfigure said data components in response to the determination of an optimal sequence of said data management operations.

26. The computing environment of claim 23, wherein said optimal sequence comprises a sequence of data management operations avoiding redundant encryption, avoiding redundant deduplication, avoiding redundant compression, avoiding the performance of encryption before deduplication, and avoiding the performance of encryption before compression.