Computer system having apparatus for automatically redistributing data records stored therein

• US 5,131,087 A
• Filed: 11/21/1990
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Warr, Roger F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack, Caleb
• Application Number:
  US07/616,419
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 395/800
• US Class Current: 711/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0888 using selective caching, e.g. bypass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/312 In storage controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

The subject apparatus includes a number of data bases which are used by the expert system software to manage the computer system data storage devices. One element provided in this apparatus is a set of data storage device configuration data that provides a description of the various data storage devices and their interconnection in the computer system. A second element is a knowledge data base that includes a set of functional rules that describe the data storage device management function. These rules indicate the operational characteristics of the various data storage devices and the steps that need to be taken to provide the various improvement functions required of the computer system memory.

Claims

1. In a computer system connected to a data storage subsystem having a cache memory and a predefined configuration of a plurality of data storage devices, a system, located in said data storage subsystem, for dynamically reorganizing the placement of data records on said data storage devices, independent of said host computer, to improve the retrievability of data records stored on said data storage devices comprising:

means for storing information describing said predefined configuration of said data storage devices;

means for storing a set of functional rules describing a data management function;

means for monitoring data record read/write activity on said data storage devices;

means, responsive to said configuration storing means, monitoring means and rule storing means, for dynamically evaluating the allocation of all data records on all said data storage devices to detect memory performance conflicts in said data storage devices; and

means, responsive to said evaluating means, for automatically identifying data records on said data storage devices that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

means for classifying all data records on a data storage device that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory,

means for listing ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said data storage device.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means, for automatically transporting said identified data records to alternate memory storage locations on said data storage devices to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said monitoring means comprises:

means for storing data indicative of read/write activity of said data records in said data storage devices.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said evaluating means comprises:

means for calculating statistical data from said stored data indicative of data record read/write activity indicative of frequency of usage and locale of data records stored in said data storage devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said data storage devices include a plurality of DASD units, said identifying means further comprises:

means for listing ones of said DASD units that are most and least utilized.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said identifying means further comprises:

means, responsive to said listing means, for selecting data records from ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance activity on these listed DASD units.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means, for exchanging said selected data records between said listed DASD units to balance the activity on these listed DASD units.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means, for automatically transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said data storage device to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

9. A method of operating a computer system memory to improve the data record retrieval efficiency of a computer system memory which includes a cache memory and a predefined configuration of a plurality of data storage devices, comprising the steps of:

recording in said computer system memory information describing said configuration of said data storage devices;

storing a set of functional rules in said computer system system memory describing a computer system memory management function;

continually monitoring the operation of said data storage devices;

dynamically evaluating the allocation of all data records on said data storage devices to detect memory performance conflicts as a result of said monitoring;

identifying data records in said data storage devices that must be relocated on said data storage devices to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

classifying all data records on a data storage device that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory,

listing ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said data storage device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of evaluating comprises:

monitoring read/write activity of said data records in said data storage devices.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of evaluating further comprises:

calculating statistical data from said monitored data record read/write activity indicative of frequency of usage and locale of date records stored in said data storage devices.

12. The method of claim 11 where said computer system memory includes a plurality of DASD units, said step of identifying further comprises:

listing ones of said DASD units that are most and least utilized; and

selecting data records from ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said step of identifying further comprises:

exchanging said selected data records between said most utilized and least utilized DASD units to balance the activity of these listed DASD units.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

automatically transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said data storage devices to receive said memory performance conflicts.

15. A system for dynamically reorganizing the placement of data in memory of a computer system, independent of said computer system, to improve the retrievability of data records stored therein, wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory, which includes a predefined configuration of a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising:

means for storing information describing said configuration of said DASD units;

means for storing a set of functional rules describing a data management function;

means for monitoring data record read/write activity in said computer system memory;

means, responsive to said configuration, monitoring and rule storing means, for dynamically evaluating allocation of all data records on said cache memory and said DASD units to detect memory performance conflicts in both said cache memory and said DASD units; and

means, responsive to said evaluating means, for identifying data records in said cache memory and DASD units that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

means for classifying all data records on a DASD unit that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory;

means for listing ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said DASD unit.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means for transporting said identified data records to alternate memory storage locations in said cache memory and DASD units to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said evaluating means comprises:

means for calculating statistical data from said monitored data record read/write activity indicative of frequency of usage and locale of data records stored in said computer system memory.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said identifying means further comprises:

means for listing ones of said DASD units that are most and least utilized; and

means, responsive to said listing means, for selecting data records from ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance activity in these listed DASD units.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means, for exchanging said selected data records between said listed DASD units to balance the activity on these listed DASD units.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means, responsive to said identifying means, for transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said DASD unit to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

21. A system for dynamically reorganizing the placement of data records in memory of a computer system, which includes a predefined configuration of a plurality of data storage devices, to improve the retrievability of data records stored therein, independent of said computer system wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory including a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising:

means for storing information detecting said configuration of said data storage devices in said computer system memory;

means for storing a set of functional rules describing a data management function;

means responsive to said configuration and rule storing means for detecting memory performance conflicts in said computer system memory, including;

means for monitoring the data record read/write activity in said computer system memory;

means for calculating statistical data from said monitored data record read/write activity indicative of the frequency of usage and locale of the data records stored in said computer system memory;

means responsive to said detecting means for identifying data records in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts, including

means for listing the ones of said DASD units that are most and least utilized;

means responsive to said listing means for selecting data records from the ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from the ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units;

means for classifying all the data records on a DASD unit that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory;

means for listing the ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said DASD unit;

means responsive to said identifying means for exchanging said selected data records between said listed DASD units to balance the activity on these listed DASD units;

means responsive to said identifying means for automatically transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said DASD unit to resole said memory performance conflicts; and

means for writing said one volume from said DASD unit into said cache memory.

22. A method of dynamically relocating data records in a computer system memory, independent of said computer system, to improve the data retrieval efficiency of said computer system memory, wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory of predefined configuration including a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising the steps of:

recording information describing said configuration of said computer system memory;

storing a set of functional rules describing a computer system memory management function;

monitoring data record read/write activity of both said cache memory and said DASD units;

dynamically evaluating allocation of all data records on said cache memory and said DASD units to detect memory performance conflicts as a result of said monitoring;

identifying data records in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

classifying all data records on a DASD unit that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory;

listing ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said DASD unit; and

automatically transporting said identified data records to alternate memory storage locations to resolve said identified memory performance conflicts.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of evaluating comprises:

monitoring data record read/write activity in said computer system memory; and

calculating statistical data from said monitored data record read/write activity indicative of frequency of usage and locate of data records stored in said computer system memory.

24. The method of claim 22 where said step of identifying further comprises:

listing ones of said DADS units that are most and least utilized; and

selecting data records from ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance activity on these listed DASD units.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said DASD unit to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

26. A method of improving the data retrieval efficiency of a computer system memory, wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory of predetermined configuration including a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising the steps of:

recording information describing said configuration of said computer system memory;

storing a set of functional rules describing a computer system memory management function;

monitoring the operation of both said cache memory and said DASD units;

detecting memory performance conflicts as a result of said monitoring, including the steps of;

monitoring the data record read/write activity in said computer system memory;

calculating statistical data from said monitored data record read/write activity indicative of the frequency of usage and locale of the data records stored in said computer system memory;

identifying data records in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts, including the steps of;

listing the ones of said DASD units that are most and least utilized;

selecting data records from the ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from the ones of said DASD units listed as least utilized for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units;

classifying all the data records on a DASD unit that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory;

listing the ones of said data records, classified as good candidates for relocation to said cache memory, that can be stored on one volume in said DASD unit;

exchanging said selected data records between said listed DASD units to balance the activity on these listed DASD units; and

transporting said listed data records to said one volume in said DASD unit to resolve said memory performance conflicts.