Data storage analysis mechanism

• US 6,912,482 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Veritas Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaiser, Scott Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/659,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 702/181, 702/180, 702/186, 702/179, 702/182, 702/183, 702/185, 702/187, 702/188, 702/129, 711170-172, 711/159, 711/160, 711133-136, 711/114, 711/156, 711/173, 711/100, 714 5- 7, 714/13, 714/37, 714/47, 714/42, 714/1, 707/9, 707/200, 707/10, 707/202, 707/204, 707/205, 709/224, 709/225, 709/223, 709/226, 709213-215, 705/38, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29, 705 7- 10, 705/1, 710/1, 710/5, 710/15, 710 17- 19, 718/104, 718/105, 703/2, 703/21
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3442 for planning or managing the needed capacity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3447 Performance evaluation by modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices

Abstract

System and method for data storage management. Embodiments may be used to perform analysis of disk-based data storage. Embodiments may provide a storage analysis mechanism for estimating storage inventory/availability risk tradeoff for data storage media for an application or group of applications. Embodiments may be used to generate storage inventory information and recommendations or requirements for pooled and/or non-pooled storage. Embodiments may be used to compare pooled storage to non-pooled storage for a plurality of applications in a storage system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

collect storage demand data for a storage system; and

determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data;

wherein the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data include;

demand, wherein the demand indicates an amount of storage consumed by one or more applications in a given time period; and

demand variability, wherein the demand variability indicates the amount of variability in storage consumption by the one or more applications in the given time period.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine a storage availability risk level for the storage system given a storage requirement for the storage system under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine a storage demand capacity given a storage availability risk level and a storage requirement for the storage system.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to modify a subset of storage system factors according to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data given a periodic review time.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data given a lead time to acquire new storage.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage requirement indicates a target storage inventory-on-hand.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to determine a target storage average inventory-on-hand from the target storage inventory-on-hand for a given periodic review time.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage system is a pooled storage system for a plurality of applications, wherein the determined storage requirement for the pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data is lower than a combined storage requirement for each of the plurality of applications using non-pooled storage.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, to determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determine a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

compare the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage system is a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage system is a non-pooled storage system for a single application.

14. A method, comprising:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system; and

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data;

wherein said collecting and said determining are performed using a computer system; and

wherein the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data include;

demand, wherein the demand indicates an amount of storage consumed by one or more applications in a given time period; and

demand variability, wherein the demand variability indicates the amount of variability in storage consumption by the one or more applications in the given time period.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining a storage availability risk level for the storage system given a storage requirement for the storage system under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining a storage demand capacity given a storage availability risk level and a storage requirement for the storage system.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising modifying a subset of storage system factors in response to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data given a periodic review time and a lead time to acquire new storage.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the storage requirement indicates a target storage inventory-on-hand.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, in said determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the method further comprises:

determining a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determining a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

comparing the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.

21. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the storage system is a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

22. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system; and

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data;

wherein the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data include;

demand, wherein the demand indicates an amount of storage consumed by one or more applications in a given time period; and

demand variability, wherein the demand variability indicates the amount of variability in storage consumption by the one or more applications in the given time period.

23. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement determining a storage availability risk level for the storage system given a storage requirement for the storage system under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data.

24. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement determining a storage demand capacity given a storage availability risk level and a storage requirement for the storage system.

25. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement modifying a subset of storage system factors in response to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

26. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data given a periodic review time and a lead time to acquire new storage.

27. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the storage requirement indicates a target storage inventory-on-hand.

28. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, in said determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

determining a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determining a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

comparing the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.

29. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 22, wherein the storage system is a Storage Area Network (SAN) system.

30. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

collect storage demand data for a storage system;

determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data; and

modify a subset of storage system factors according to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

32. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

collect storage demand data for a storage system;

determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, wherein the storage requirement indicates a target storage inventory-on-hand; and

determine a target storage average inventory-on-hand from the target storage inventory-on-hand for a given periodic review time.

33. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

collect storage demand data for a storage system; and

determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data;

wherein the storage system is a pooled storage system for a plurality of applications, wherein the determined storage requirement for the pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under the one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data is lower than a combined storage requirement for each of the plurality of applications using non-pooled storage.

34. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

collect storage demand data for a storage system; and

determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, to determine a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to;

determine a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determine a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

compare the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.

35. A method, comprising:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system;

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, wherein said collecting and said determining are performed using a computer system; and

modifying a subset of storage system factors in response to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

36. A method, comprising:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system;

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, wherein said collecting and said determining are performed using a computer system; and

wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, in said determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the method further comprises;

determining a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determining a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

comparing the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.

37. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system;

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data; and

modifying a subset of storage system factors in response to user input to determine an effect on one or more other ones of the storage system factors, wherein the storage system factors include a storage demand capacity, a storage availability risk level, and the storage requirement.

38. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

collecting storage demand data for a storage system;

determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data; and

wherein the storage demand data is collected for a plurality of applications, and wherein, in said determining a storage requirement for the storage system to meet a given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data, the program instructions are further configured to implement;

determining a non-pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a non-pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications;

determining a pooled storage requirement for the plurality of applications in accordance with a pooled storage system to meet the given storage availability risk level under one or more conditions indicated by the storage demand data for the plurality of applications; and

comparing the non-pooled storage requirement and the pooled storage requirement to determine if the pooled storage system or the non-pooled storage system is to be used for the plurality of applications.