POLICY FOR STORING DATA OBJECTS IN A MULTI-TIER STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20120260040A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Meher, Ravi, Gautham, Mallge, Raghupathl
• Granted Patent: US 8,578,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/278 Data partitioning, e.g. horizontal or vertical partitioning

Abstract

A sliding window policy is implemented to manage database objects. At a first time, a first portion of a database object is allocated to a first tier of a multi-tier storage system. The first portion corresponds to a first specified percentage of the size of the database object at the first time and is selected according to information associated with the database object. The remaining portion of the database object at the first time is allocated to one or more other tiers. At a second (later) time, a second portion of the database object is allocated to the first tier. The second portion corresponds to a second specified percentage of the size of the database object at the second time and is also selected according to information associated with the database object. The remaining portion of the database object at the second time is allocated to the other tier(s).

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer system to perform a method comprising:

accessing a data object, wherein the size of said data object changes over time;

at a first time, allocating a first portion of said data object for storage in a first tier of a multi-tier storage system, said first portion corresponding to a first specified percentage of the size of said data object at said first time, wherein said first portion is selected according to information associated with said data object, and wherein the remaining portion of said data object at said first time is allocated for storage in one or more other tiers of said multi-tier storage system; and

at a second time after said first time, allocating a second portion of said data object for storage in said first tier, said second portion corresponding to a second specified percentage of the size of said data object at said second time, wherein said second portion is selected according to said information, and wherein the remaining portion of said data object at said second time is allocated for storage in said one or more other tiers.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein said data object comprises a table, wherein said data comprises entries in said table, and wherein said data is stored as a plurality of extents, said extents each comprising a plurality of contiguous blocks of memory.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 wherein said method further comprises:

determining the size of said table at said first time;

accessing time-based information associated with each of said extents; and

starting with the most recent of said extents based on said time-based information and continuing the most recent of said extents, selecting a subset of said extents comprising newer extents, wherein said subset comprises a number of said extents that corresponds to said first specified percentage.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 wherein said method further comprises translating each of said extents to a file name, offset, and length.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein said information is time-based and used to rank said first amount of data and said second amount of data from newest data to oldest data, wherein said first portion and said second portion are each selected by selecting relatively newer data according to said rank until, respectively, said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage are reached.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein a different percentage is specified per data object.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage have the same value.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises, if data is said first portion is deleted, then automatically evacuating said data from said first tier.

9. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to said processor and having stored therein instructions that, if executed by said computer system, cause said computer system to execute a method comprising;

accessing data associated with a data object, wherein the amount of said data changes from a first amount at a first time to a second amount at a second time;

at said first time, storing a first portion of said first amount of data in a first tier of a multi-tier storage system, said first portion corresponding in size to a first specified percentage of said first amount of data, wherein said first portion is selected according to information associated with said data, and wherein the remaining portion of said first amount of data is stored in one or more other tiers of said multi-tier storage system; and

at said second time, allocating said second amount of data between said first tier and said one or more other tiers as necessary so that a second portion of said second amount of data is stored in said first tier, said second portion corresponding in size to a second specified percentage of said second amount of data, said second portion selected according to said information.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said data object comprises a table, wherein said data comprises entries in said table, and wherein said data is stored as a plurality of extents, said extents each comprising a plurality of contiguous blocks of memory.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

at said first time, determining a size of said table;

accessing time-based information associated with each of said extents to identify an age for each of said extents; and

starting with the youngest extent of said extents based on said time-based information and continuing from said youngest extent, selecting a subset of said extents comprising newer extents, wherein said subset comprises a number of said extents that corresponds to said first specified percentage.

12. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said information is time-based and used to rank data in said data object at said first time and at said second time from newest data to oldest data, wherein said first portion and said second portion are each selected by selecting relatively newer data according to said rank until said, respectively, said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage are reached.

13. The computer system of claim 9 wherein a different percentage is specified per data object.

14. The computer system of claim 9 wherein said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage have the same value.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining the size of a data object at a first time;

at said first time, storing a first portion of said data object in a first tier of a multi-tier storage system, said first portion corresponding to a first specified percentage of the size of said data object at said first time, wherein said first portion is selected according to information associated with said data object, and wherein the remaining portion of said data object at said first time is stored in one or more other tiers of said multi-tier storage system;

determining the size of said data object at a second time; and

at said second time, allocating said data object between said first tier and said one or more other tiers as necessary so that a second portion of said data object at said second time is stored in said first tier, said second portion corresponding to a second specified percentage of the size of said data object at said second time, said second portion selected according to said information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said data object comprises a table, wherein said data comprises entries in said table, and wherein said data is stored as a plurality of extents, said extents each comprising a plurality of contiguous blocks of memory.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said method further comprises translating each of said extents to a file name, offset, and length.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said information is time-based and is used to rank data in said data object at said first time and at said second time from newest data to oldest data, wherein said first portion and said second portion are each selected by selecting relatively newer data according to said rank until said, respectively, said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage are reached.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein a different percentage is specified per data object.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said first specified percentage and said second specified percentage have different values.