Transparent migration of files among various types of storage volumes based on file access properties
First Claim
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1. A method for dynamically migrating files in a storage domain transparent to any applications currently using the file, the method comprising:
- periodically checking a tag in a file stored on one of a plurality of storage volumes in the storage domain, wherein the tag identifies a pattern of prior access to the file;
determining whether the access pattern matches a storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is stored; and
when the access pattern does not match the storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is stored, moving the file to another one of the plurality of storage volumes with a storage classification that matches the access pattern of the file when available.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method and system for storing a file in a storage domain is provided. The method includes monitoring access to a file to determine a file access pattern, tagging the file to indicate the identified access pattern and using the tag to identify an appropriate storage medium in a storage domain for the file, when available, based on the access pattern.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for dynamically migrating files in a storage domain transparent to any applications currently using the file, the method comprising:
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periodically checking a tag in a file stored on one of a plurality of storage volumes in the storage domain, wherein the tag identifies a pattern of prior access to the file; determining whether the access pattern matches a storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is stored; and when the access pattern does not match the storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is stored, moving the file to another one of the plurality of storage volumes with a storage classification that matches the access pattern of the file when available. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer readable medium having a data structure stored thereon, the data structure comprising:
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a plurality of types of storage volumes, each type of storage volume having an associated storage classification based on functional properties of the storage volume; a plurality of file access patterns; and wherein each of the plurality of file access patterns is associated with at least one of the plurality of types of storage volumes to enable moving a file to an appropriate storage volume when a current file access pattern does not match the associated storage classification for the type of storage volume on which the file is stored, wherein the moving of the file is based on the current access pattern associated with the file by a tag stored in the file. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for storing a file in a storage domain, the method comprising:
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monitoring access to a file to determine a file access pattern; tagging the file to indicate the identified access pattern; and using the tag to identify an appropriate storage medium in a storage domain for the file, when available, wherein each storage volume is associated with a storage classification based on functional properties of the storage volume, and wherein the appropriate storage medium is the storage medium having the associated storage classification that matches the identified access pattern. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for matching a file with a storage volume in an array of a plurality of storage volumes, the method comprising:
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storing information on each access to a file; monitoring the information on each access to the file over time to determine an access pattern; when a pattern emerges from the information, selecting a tag that identifies the access pattern; tagging the file with the selected tag; and when the access pattern does not match the storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is stored, migrating the file to a storage volume that matches the characteristics of the identified access pattern wherein each storage volume includes a storage classification based on functional properties of the storage volume. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A data storage system with dynamic and transparent file migration, the data storage system comprising:
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a plurality of storage volumes, each of the storage volumes having an associated storage classification based on functional properties of the storage volumes; a pattern recognition function that monitors access to files stored on the plurality of storage volumes to determine a pattern of access for each of the files; a look-up table associating the storage classification for each of the storage volumes with at least one of the file access patterns; and a file management function that periodically uses a tag in one of the files that indicates the access pattern of the file stored on the plurality of storage volumes, wherein if the indicated access pattern does not match the storage classification for the one of the plurality of storage volumes on which the file is currently stored, the file management function migrates the file from one of the storage volumes to another of the storage volumes such that the storage classification associated with the storage volume matches the access pattern identified by the pattern recognition function for the file, wherein the migration is based on the look-up table. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A machine readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon for implementing a method for matching a file with a storage volume in an array of a plurality of storage volumes, the method comprising:
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storing information on each access to a file; monitoring the information on each access to the file over time to determine an access pattern; when a pattern emerges from the information, selecting a tag that identifies the access pattern; tagging the file with the selected tag; and when the access pattern does not match the associated storage classification of the storage volume currently storing the file, migrating the file to a storage volume having an associated storage classification that matches the characteristics of the identified access pattern, when available, without any interruption of access to the file by applications. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification