Selecting Storage Locations For Storing Data Based on Storage Location Attributes and Data Usage Statistics

• US 20110167230A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GQRC Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Diskeeper Corporation
• Inventors: Quan, Gary, Thomas, Basil, Jensen, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0616 in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device

Abstract

A method for selecting physical storage locations for storing data is provided. The method involves selecting physical storage locations for storing data storage by matching the attributes of the physical storage locations with the usage statistics of the data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining usage statistics associated with a logical block in a file system;

selecting a first physical storage location, of a plurality of physical storage locations, to assign to the logical block based on (a) at least one attribute associated with the first physical storage location, and (b) the usage statistics associated with the logical block; and

causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to read data logically stored in the logical block, wherein the data is stored at the first physical storage location and at a second physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to read data stored at a second physical storage location;

determining that the data is also stored at the first physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the particular attribute is a current utilization of the first physical storage location.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to any data logically stored in the logical block.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to one or more physical storage locations that are assigned to the logical block while the monitoring is being performed.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring data access requests, from an operating system, which refer to the logical block.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the usage statistics comprise one or more of:

a read frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

a write frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

an access timing associated with any data logically stored in the logical block.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data, logically stored in a logical block, is a smallest unit of memory that can be individually requested from a secondary storage device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein selecting the first physical storage location comprises selecting consecutive physical memory space for storing data logically stored in the logical memory block.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a read access speed of the first physical storage location.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a write access speed of the first physical storage location.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of write-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of read-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attribute comprises data stored at the first physical storage location before the first physical storage location is selected.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location comprises:

mapping the logical block to the first physical storage location in a mapping of a plurality of logical blocks to the plurality of physical storage locations.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, perform steps comprising:

determining usage statistics associated with a logical block in a file system;

selecting a first physical storage location, of a plurality of physical storage locations, to assign to the logical block based on (a) at least one attribute associated with the first physical storage location, and (b) the usage statistics associated with the logical block; and

causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location.

18. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions for performing:

receiving a request to read data logically stored in the logical block, wherein the data is stored at the first physical storage location and at a second physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

19. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions for performing:

receiving a request to read data stored at a second physical storage location;

determining that the data is also stored at the first physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

20. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the particular attribute is a current utilization of the first physical storage location.

21. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to any data logically stored in the logical block.

22. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to one or more physical storage locations that are assigned to the logical block while the monitoring is being performed.

23. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring data access requests, from an operating system, which refer to the logical block.

24. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the usage statistics comprise one or more of:

a read frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

a write frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

an access timing associated with any data logically stored in the logical block.

25. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the data, logically stored in a logical block, is a smallest unit of memory that can be individually requested from a secondary storage device.

26. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein selecting the first physical storage location comprises selecting consecutive physical memory space for storing data logically stored in the logical block.

27. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a read access speed of the first physical storage location.

28. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a write access speed of the first physical storage location.

29. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of write-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

30. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of read-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

31. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the at least one attribute comprises data stored at the first physical storage location before the first physical storage location is selected.

32. The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17, wherein causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location comprises:

mapping the logical block to the first physical storage location in a mapping of a plurality of logical blocks to the plurality of physical storage locations.

33. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

the device configured for;

determining usage statistics associated with a logical block in a file system;

selecting a first physical storage location, of a plurality of physical storage locations, to assign to the logical block based on (a) at least one attribute associated with the first physical storage location, and (b) the usage statistics associated with the logical block; and

causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location.

34. The device as recited in claim 33, further configured for:

receiving a request to read data logically stored in the logical block, wherein the data is stored at the first physical storage location and at a second physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

35. The device as recited in claim 33, further configured for:

receiving a request to read data stored at a second physical storage location;

determining that the data is also stored at the first physical storage location;

reading the data from the first physical storage location based at least on a particular attribute associated with the first physical storage location.

36. The device as recited in claim 35, wherein the particular attribute is a current utilization of the first physical storage location.

37. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to any data logically stored in the logical block.

38. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring access to one or more physical storage locations that are assigned to the logical block while the monitoring is being performed.

39. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein determining usage statistics comprises monitoring data access requests, from an operating system, which refer to the logical block.

40. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the usage statistics comprise one or more of:

a read frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

a write frequency associated with any data logically stored in the logical block;

an access timing associated with any data logically stored in the logical block.

41. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the data, logically stored in a logical block, is a smallest unit of memory that can be individually requested from a secondary storage device.

42. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein selecting the first physical storage location comprises selecting consecutive physical memory space for storing data logically stored in the logical block.

43. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a read access speed of the first physical storage location.

44. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a write access speed of the first physical storage location.

45. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of write-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

46. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the at least one attribute comprises an estimated number of read-accesses-before-failure for the first physical storage location.

47. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein the at least one attribute comprises data stored at the first physical storage location before the first physical storage location is selected.

48. The device as recited in claim 33, wherein causing the logical block to be assigned to the first physical storage location comprises:

mapping the logical block to the first physical storage location in a mapping of a plurality of logical blocks to the plurality of physical storage locations.