Primary Data Storage System with Data Tiering

• US 20130117515A1
• Filed: 11/07/2012
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pivot3, Inc., NexGen Storage, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NexGen Storage, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashmore, Paul A., Long, Kelly E., Sobolewski, Sebastian Piotr
• Granted Patent: US 10,216,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3433 for load management allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/16 Protection against loss of memory contents contains no material, see G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0641 De-duplication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

The invention is directed to a primary data storage system for use in a computer network in which a network allows user computers to transfer data to/from the primary data storage system. In one embodiment, the primary data storage system implements a tiering strategy to move data between stores with different characteristics so as to match the characteristics of the data to the characteristics of one of the stores.

Claims

1. A primary data storage system for use in a computer network and having tiering functionality, the system comprising:

an input/output port for receiving a block command packet that embodies one of a read block command and a write block command and transmitting a block result packet in reply to a block command packet;

a data store system having at least a first tier and a second tier;

wherein the first tier has a first set of characteristics;

wherein the second tier has a second set of characteristics;

a tiering processor for performing tiering functionality to cause a data block to be stored in whichever of the first tier and second tier has characteristics that better match the access pattern of a data block.

2. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of copying one or more data blocks from the first tier to the second tier so that there are two copies of the one or more data blocks that provide data redundancy.

3. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of;

copying a first plurality of data blocks from the first tier to the second tier so that the second tier has a second plurality of data blocks that is identical to the first plurality of data blocks and,

after a copying, identifying a portion of the space occupied by the first plurality of data blocks on the first tier as available and thereby retaining a third data block or third plurality of data blocks that is a subset of the second plurality of data blocks on the second tier.

4. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the first tier is a better match for the third data block or third plurality of data blocks; and

the second tier is a better match for the portion of the second plurality of data blocks that are not identical to the third data block or third plurality of data blocks.

5. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a reuse processor for recognizing that there is a third data block or third plurality of data blocks on the first tier for which there is/are copies on the second tier and overwriting the third data block or all or a portion of the third plurality of data blocks with other data.

6. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of;

copying less than all of a first plurality of data blocks from the first tier to the second tier so that the second tier has a second data block or second plurality of data blocks that is/are identical to a subset of the first plurality of data blocks.

7. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the first tier is a better match for the portion of the first plurality of data blocks other than those data blocks that are identical to the second data block or plurality of data blocks; and

the second tier is a better match for the second data block or second plurality of data blocks.

8. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a reuse processor for recognizing that there is a second data block or second plurality of data blocks on the second tier for which there is/are copies on the first tier and overwriting the second data block or all or a portion of the second plurality of data blocks with other data.

9. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of processing a write block command so as to identify one of the first and second tiers as having the characteristics that are less likely to require, if the data associated with the write block command were placed on the one of the first and second tiers, that the data be moved to the other of the first and second tiers.

10. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of acquiring attribute data associated with the write block command and using the attribute data in identifying the one of the first and second tiers.

11. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the attribute data includes the size of the data and the latency of the write block command within the system.

12. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of acquiring statistical data related to the volume with which the write block command is associated and using the statistical data in identifying the one of the first and second tiers.

13. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the statistical data related to the volume include a combination of at least two of data for;

throughput, queue depth, and use count.

14. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the tiering processor is capable of acquiring attribute data associated with the write block command, statistical data related to the volume with which the write block command is associated, and using the attribute data and the statistical data in identifying the one of the first and second tiers.

15. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first atomic block size;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second atomic block size that is greater than the first atomic block size.

16. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first data capacity;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second data capacity that is greater than or substantially equal to the first data capacity.

17. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first latency;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second latency that is greater than or substantially equal to the first latency.

18. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first seek penalty;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second seek penalty that is greater than or substantially equal to the first seek penalty.

19. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first throughput;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second throughput that is greater than or substantially equal to the first throughput.

20. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first path redundancy;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second path redundancy that is greater than or substantially equal to the first path redundancy.

21. A primary data storage system, as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the first set of characteristics of the first tier includes an first data redundancy;

the second set of characteristics of the second tier includes an second data redundancy that is greater than or substantially equal to the first data redundancy.