Time based multi-tiered management of resource systems

• US 7,543,296 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mummert, Lily B., Pope, William G., Hunt, Guerney D. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr.; Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kawsar; Abdullah Al
• Application Number:
  US10/650,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20050049884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 718 1-108, 709/201, 709/202, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/229, 709/230
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program for managing multi-tiered resource systems, such as Storage Area Networks (SANs). Resource tiers in the resource system are examined to if they are in compliance with a management policy. If a resource tier is not in compliance with the management policy, a processing operation automatically increases available capacity in containers in order to bring the containers in compliance with the management policy. The management policy may, for example, include a requirement that an expiration date of the resource tier occur after a maintenance date.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a multi-tiered resource system, the method comprising:

automatically determining if a resource tier is in compliance with a management policy, wherein the management policy includes requiring that an expiration date of the resource tier occur after a maintenance date;

if the resource tier is not in compliance with the management policy, automatically increasing available capacity in containers in order to bring the containers in compliance with the management policy; and

calculating the expiration date of the resource tier, wherein calculating the expiration date of the resource tier includes calculating a life expectancy of each container belonging to the resource tier, and wherein calculating the life expectancy of the containers includes adjusting the life expectancy of the containers to account for container lead-time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing available capacity in containers includes allocating additional capacity to containers belonging to the resource tier until the resource tier is in compliance with the management policy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein allocating additional capacity to the containers includes utilizing a capacity reserve belonging to the resource tier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein allocating additional capacity to the containers includes utilizing available capacity from other containers in the resource system.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein allocating additional capacity to the containers includes allocating additional capacity to containers of higher importance before allocating additional capacity to containers of lower importance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising if the resource tier cannot be brought in compliance with the management policy, alerting that the resource tier is not in compliance with the management policy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing available capacity in containers includes compressing data within the resource tier until the resource tier is in compliance with the management policy.