Intelligent storage manager for data storage apparatus having simulation capability

• US 5,325,505 A
• Filed: 09/04/1991
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Harry E., Walsh, Nathan E., McNamara, Alan R., Hoffecker, John C., Schafer, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US07/755,018
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 395/425, 395/600, 395/50, 395/60, 395/934, 364/478
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/934 Information retrieval or Information management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

The intelligent storage manager 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 functions required to improve the performance of the computer system memory. In addition, various mathematical models are used to determine data relating to the operation of the data storage devices. These models not only assist in the identification of conflicts, but are also used to predict the effect of proposed conflict solutions. The models are also used to manage the addition of data storage devices to the computer system memory by identifying a plan to migrate existing data sets to this additional data storage devices.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically reorganizing placement of data in memory of a computer system to improve retrievability of data stored therein comprising the steps of:

monitoring the operation of said computer system memory;

detecting memory performance conflicts in said computer system memory;

identifying datasets in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts;

validating relocation of said identified datasets to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

storing information describing a configuration of said computer system memory,

storing a set of functional rules describing a data management function,

mathematically modeling at least a portion of said computer system memory, and

collecting performance data on said identified datasets to validate relocation of said identified datasets to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating said information describing said configuration of said computer system memory.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of detecting includes:

predicting potential performance conflicts in said computer system memory.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of detecting further includes:

calculating statistical data from dataset read/write activity indicative of the frequency of usage and locale of the datasets stored in said computer system memory.

5. The method of claim 4, where said computer system memory includes a plurality of DASD units, said step of identifying includes:

listing the ones of said DASD units that are in greatest and least conflict with performance objectives.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said step of identifying further includes:

selecting datasets from the ones of said DASD units listed as being in greatest conflict and from the ones of said DASD units listed as being in least conflict for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

exchanging said selected datasets between said listed DASD units to reduce the conflict on these listed DASD units.

8. The method of claim 4 where said computer system memory includes a plurality of DASD units and a cache memory, said step of identifying includes:

classifying all the datasets on a DASD unit that are good and bad candidates for relocation to said cache memory.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of identifying further includes:

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

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

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

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of mode further includes:

generating data describing operational details of said configuration of said computer system memory.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

transporting said identified datasets to alternate memory storage locations to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said computer system memory further includes at least one data channel connecting said computer system to a control unit which manages a plurality of DASD units, said step of detecting includes:

monitoring channel, control unit, device and dataset read/write activity in said computer system memory.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of modeling further includes:

storing a set of functional rules describing performance characteristics of data storage devices that comprise said computer system memory; and

storing a set of functional rules describing desired service levels for said data storage devices.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of detecting includes:

predicting potential performance conflicts in said computer system memory; and

identifying at least one of said data storage devices subject to said predicted performance conflicts.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of modeling further includes:

generating data describing operational details of said data storage devices in said computer system memory.

17. A system for dynamically reorganizing placement of data in memory of a computer system to improve retrievability of data stored therein comprising:

means for monitoring the operation of said computer system memory;

means, responsive to said monitoring means, for detecting memory performance conflicts in said computer system memory;

means, responsive to said detecting means, for identifying datasets in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts;

means for validating relocation of said identified datasets to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

means for storing information describing a configuration of said computer system memory,

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

means for mathematically modeling at least a portion of said computer system memory, and

means for collecting performance data on said identified datasets.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

means for generating said information describing said configuration of said computer system memory.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said detecting means includes:

means for predicting potential performance conflicts in said computer system memory.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said detecting means further includes:

means for calculating statistical data from dataset read/write activity indicative of the frequency of usage and locale of the datasets stored in said computer system memory.

21. The system of claim 20, where said computer system memory includes a plurality of DASD units, said identifying means includes:

means for listing the ones of said DASD units that are in greatest and least conflict with performance objectives.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said identifying means further includes:

means responsive to said listing means for selecting datasets from the ones of said DASD units listed as being in greatest conflict and from the ones of said DASD units listed as being in least conflict for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising:

means responsive to said identifying means for exchanging said selected datasets between said listed DASD units to reduce the conflict on these listed DASD units.

24. The system of claim 20 where said computer system memory includes a plurality of DASD units and a cache memory, said identifying means includes:

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

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said identifying means further includes:

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

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

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

27. The system of claim 17 wherein said modeling means further includes:

means for generating data describing operational details of said configuration of said computer system memory.

28. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

means responsive to said identifying means for transporting said identified datasets to alternate memory storage locations to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

29. The system of claim 17 wherein said computer system memory further includes at least one data channel connecting said computer system to a control unit which manages a plurality of DASD units, said detecting means includes:

means for monitoring channel, control unit, device and dataset read/write activity in said computer system memory.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein said modeling means further includes:

means for storing a set of functional rules describing performance characteristics of data storage devices that comprise said computer system memory; and

means for storing a set of functional rules describing desired service levels for said data storage devices.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said detecting means includes:

means for predicting potential performance conflicts in said computer system memory; and

means for identifying at least one of said data storage devices subject to said predicted performance conflicts.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein said modeling means further includes:

means for generating data describing operational details of said data storage devices in said computer system memory.

33. A system for dynamically reorganizing placement of data in memory of a computer system to improve retrievability of data stored therein, wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory including a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising:

means for monitoring the operation of said computer system memory;

means, responsive to said monitoring means, for detecting memory performance conflicts in both said cache memory and said DASD units in said computer system memory;

means, responsive to said detecting means, for identifying datasets in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts;

means for validating relocation of said identified datasets to resolve said memory performance conflicts, comprising;

means for storing information describing a configuration of said computer system memory,

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

means for mathematically modeling at least a portion of said computer system memory, and

means for collecting performance data on said identified datasets to validate a relocation of said identified datasets to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

means responsive to said identifying means for transporting said identified datasets to alternate memory storage locations to resolve said memory performance conflicts.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein said detecting means includes:

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

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

36. The system of claim 33 wherein said identifying means includes:

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

means responsive to said listing means for selecting datasets 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.

37. The system of claim 36 further comprising:

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

38. The system of claim 33 wherein said identifying means includes:

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

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

39. The system of claim 38 further comprising:

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

40. The system of claim 33 wherein said modeling means further includes:

means for storing a set of functional rules describing performance characteristics of each of said DASD units; and

means for storing a set of functional rules describing desired service levels for each of said DASD units.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said detecting means includes:

means for predicting potential performance conflicts in said computer system memory; and

means for identifying at least one of said DASD units subject to said predicted performance conflicts.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein said modeling means further includes:

means for generating data describing operational details of said DASD units.

43. A system for dynamically reorganizing the placement of data in memory of a computer system to improve the retrievability of data stored therein, wherein said computer system memory is a hierarchial memory including a cache memory and a plurality of DASD units, comprising;

means for storing information describing the configuration of said computer system memory;

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

means for mathematically modeling at least a portion of said computer system memory;

means for detecting memory performance conflicts in said computer system memory, including;

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

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

means, responsive to said detecting means, for identifying datasets 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 datasets form the ones of said DASD units listed as most utilized and from the ones of said DASD units listed as lest utilized for exchange therebetween to balance the activity on these listed DASD units;

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

means for listing the ones of said datasets, 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 datasets between said listed DASD units to balance the activity on these listed DASD units;

means, responsive to said identifying means, for transporting said listed datasets to said one volume in said DASD unit to resolve said memory performance conflicts; and

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

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

recording information describing the configuration of said computer system memory;

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

mathematically modeling at least a portion of said computer system memory;

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

detecting memory performance conflicts as a result of said monitoring;

identifying datasets in said computer system memory that must be relocated to resolve said memory performance conflicts;

transporting said identified datasets to alternate memory storage locations to resolve said identified memory performance conflicts.