Storage-side storage request management

• US 8,874,807 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Sue K., Kolla, Vivekananda C., Shah, Akshay D., Chatterjee, Sumanta, Susairaj, Margaret, Loaiza, Juan R., Tsukerman, Alexander, Subramaniam, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Alrobaye, Idriss N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS-TAYLOR, DAYTON A.
• Application Number:
  US13/971,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20130339636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2255 Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24557 Efficient disk access during query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2456 Join operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Techniques are provided for managing, within a storage system, the sequence in which I/O requests are processed by the storage system based, at least in part, on one or more logical characteristics of the I/O requests. The logical characteristics may include, for example, the identity of the user for whom the I/O request was submitted, the service that submitted the I/O request, the database targeted by the I/O request, an indication of a consumer group to which the I/O request maps, the reason why the I/O request was issued, a priority category of the I/O request, etc. Techniques are also provided for automatically establishing a scheduling policy within a storage system, and for dynamically changing the scheduling policy in response to changes in workload.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

database servers, configured to receive database requests to perform database operations and execute those database operations based on data stored within at least one storage system;

one or more first computing devices comprising hardware components configured to execute instructions that implement the database servers;

a storage system, configured to receive input/output requests for specified blocks of data stored in one or more storage devices in the storage system and respond to the input/output requests at least by retrieving the specified blocks of data from the one or more storage devices;

one or more second computing devices comprising hardware components configured to implement the storage system;

wherein the one or more first computing devices are operatively coupled to the one or more second computing devices to enable communication between the database servers and the storage system;

logic, at the database servers and/or the storage system, that categorizes at least particular input/output requests, sent to the storage system by the database servers, into different groups based at least partly on logical characteristics associated with particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests, the logical characteristics including at least one or more of;

service identifiers, user identifiers, program names, purpose identifiers, or database operation statistics;

logic, at the storage system, configured to prioritizes processing of the particular input/output requests based at least on the groups into which the particular input/output requests are categorized.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into different groups is configured to select into which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized by comparing logical characteristics, associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests, to one or more mappings between particular logical characteristics and particular groups.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into different groups is configured to select into which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized by comparing logical characteristics, associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests, to one or more mappings between particular logical characteristics and particular groups;

wherein the one or more mappings comprise different mappings associated with different logical databases for which the database servers have stored data in the storage system;

wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into different groups is further configured to select which of the different mappings to utilize for categorizing which of the particular input/output requests based on to which of the logical databases the data targeted by the particular input/output requests pertains.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic, at the database servers and/or the storage system, configured to receives directives specifying resource allocation directives for the groups, wherein the resource allocation directives indicate one or both of percentages of resources allocation to be utilized for specific groups, or priority levels that indicate which specific groups take precedent over other specific groups;

wherein prioritizing processing of particular input/output requests comprises prioritizing processing based on the resource allocation directives.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the database servers are configured to send selection policies to the storage system;

wherein the selection policies specify when to process those of the particular input/outputs requests that are categorized to specific groups relative to those of the particular input/outputs requests that are categorized to other specific groups;

wherein prioritizing processing of the particular input/output requests comprises prioritizing processing based on applying the selection policies to the different groups.

6. The system of claim 1,

wherein the storage system comprises one or more memories in which the storage system maintains waiting queues of input/output requests, wherein the waiting queues are distinct structures within the one or more memories and/or are logical queues within the one or more memories;

wherein the waiting queues include one or more queues for each logical database of a plurality of logical databases for which the database servers have stored data in the storage system, the one or more queues for each respective logical database including at least one queue for each of the groups that pertains to the logical database;

wherein prioritizing processing of particular input/output requests comprises repeatedly selecting from which of the waiting queues to process a next input/output request.

7. The system of claim 1,

wherein the storage system comprises one or more memories in which the storage system maintains waiting queues of input/output requests, wherein the waiting queues are distinct structures within the one or more memories and/or are logical queues within the one or more memories;

wherein the waiting queues include one or more queues for each logical database of a plurality of logical databases for which the database servers have stored data in the storage system, the one or more queues for each respective logical database including at least one queue for each possible combination of a group from a set of the groups that pertains to the logical database, and a set of classifications of to how critical of a workload the input/output requests pertain;

wherein prioritizing processing of particular input/output requests comprises repeatedly selecting from which of the waiting queues to process a next input/output request.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage system is a first storage system, the system further comprising multiple storage systems configured in the same manner as the first storage system.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the one or more storage devices are configured to store data corresponding to logical databases on which the database servers perform the database operations;

wherein the storage system is further configured to prioritize processing of the particular input/output requests based at least on to which of the logical databases the data requested by the particular input/output requests belongs.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the one or more storage devices are configured to store data corresponding to logical databases for which the database servers perform the database operations;

wherein the storage system comprises one or more memories configured to store selection policies that specify how to prioritize processing of the different groups of input/output requests, wherein different selection policies are associated with different logical databases;

wherein prioritizing processing of the particular input/output requests comprises prioritizing processing based on applying the different selection policies to the different groups, depending on to which of the different logical databases the particular input/output requests pertain.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into the different groups is executed by the database server;

wherein the database server is further configured to send, in request metadata associated with the particular input/output requests, group identifiers that indicate to the storage system into which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized.

12. The system of claim 1,

wherein the one or more storage devices are configured to store data corresponding to logical databases for which the database servers perform the database operations;

wherein the storage system comprises one or more memories configured to store selection policies that specify how to prioritize processing of the different groups of input/output requests, wherein different selection policies are associated with different logical databases;

wherein prioritizing processing of the particular input/output requests comprises prioritizing processing based on applying the different selection policies to the different groups, depending on to which of the different logical databases the particular input/output requests pertain;

wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into the different groups is executed by the database server;

wherein the database server is further configured to send, in request metadata associated with the particular input/output requests, group identifiers that indicate to the storage system into which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized.

13. The system of claim 1,

wherein the logic configured to categorizes the particular input/output requests into the different groups is executed by the storage system;

wherein the database server is further configured to send, in request metadata associated with the particular input/output requests, an indication of which logical characteristics are associated with which of the particular input/output requests.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical characteristics include service identifiers that are associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical characteristics include user identifiers that are associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical characteristics include program names that are associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical characteristics include purpose identifiers that are associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical characteristics include or database operation statistics that are associated with the particular database operations for which the database servers issued the particular input/output requests.

19. The system of claim 1,

wherein the database servers are configured to:

receive commands from applications to perform the particular database operations;

send to the storage system the particular input/output requests, specifying locations of particular data blocks needed to perform the particular database operations;

identify the logical characteristics associated with the particular database operations,

send request metadata, that is based on the logical characteristics, to the storage system, by which the groups to which the particular input/output requests are categorized are identified,

receive the particular data blocks from the storage system, and

perform the database operations using the particular data blocks received from the storage system;

wherein the storage system comprises;

the one or more storage devices, storing linearly addressed blocks of data upon which databases are stored; and

at least one storage server configured to;

receive the particular input/output requests, the particular input/output requests specifying particular locations at the storage devices;

receive particular request metadata associated with the particular input/output requests;

add the particular input/output requests to a queue;

identify to which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized based on the particular request metadata;

prioritize an order in which the particular input/output requests are processed from the queue based at least partially on to which of the groups the particular input/output requests are categorized; and

respond to the particular input/output requests with data read from corresponding particular locations at the one or more storage devices.

20. A storage system comprising:

one or more storage devices storing data for databases;

one or more interfaces configured to receive input/output requests to read data from or write data to the one or more storage devices, the requests indicating locations within the one or more storage devices of the data to be read or written;

one or more memories configured to store at least some of the input/output requests in one or more waiting queues;

first logic configured to categorizes the input/output requests into groups based on request metadata associated with input/output requests;

second logic configured to determines to which of the databases the data read or written by the input/output request belongs;

third logic configured to process the input/output requests;

fourth logic configured to, when the third logic is ready to process an input/output request in the one or more waiting queues, selects a next input/output request to process from the one or more waiting queues based at least on selection policies, wherein the selection policies include at least one selection policy that is based at least on;

(a) the groups into which the input/output requests are categorized, and (b) the databases to which the data read or written by the input/output request belongs.

21. The storage system of claim 20, further comprising fifth logic configured to receive updates to the selection policies from one or more database servers.

22. The storage system of claim 20, wherein the request metadata specifies group identifiers for the groups.

23. The storage system of claim 20,

wherein the request metadata specifies logical characteristics of database operations for which the input/output requests were made;

wherein the first logic categorizes the input/output requests based on at least one mapping of particular logical characteristics to particular groups of the groups.

24. A method comprising:

at one or more storage devices of a storage system, storing data for databases;

using one or more interfaces of the storage system to receive input/output requests to read data from or write data to the one or more storage devices, the requests indicating locations within the one or more storage devices of the data to be read or written;

storing at least some of the input/output requests in one or more waiting queues at the storage system;

categorizing, by the storage system, the input/output requests into groups based on request metadata associated with input/output requests;

determining, by the storage system, to which of the databases the data read or written by the input/output request belongs;

processing, by the storage system, the input/output requests;

when the storage system is ready to process an input/output request in the one or more waiting queues, selecting a next input/output request to process from the one or more waiting queues based at least on selection policies, wherein the selection policies include at least one selection policy that is based at least on;

(a) the groups into which the input/output requests are categorized, and (b) the databases to which the data read or written by the input/output request belongs.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving, at the storage system, updates to the selection policies from one or more database servers.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the request metadata specifies group identifiers for the groups.

27. The method of claim 24,

wherein the request metadata specifies logical characteristics of database operations for which the input/output requests were made;

wherein the input/output requests are categorized based on at least one mapping of particular logical characteristics to particular groups of the groups.

28. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions configured to, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

at one or more storage devices of a storage system, storing data for databases;

using one or more interfaces of the storage system to receive input/output requests to read data from or write data to the one or more storage devices, the requests indicating locations within the one or more storage devices of the data to be read or written;

storing at least some of the input/output requests in one or more waiting queues at the storage system;

categorizing, by the storage system, the input/output requests into groups based on request metadata associated with input/output requests;

determining, by the storage system, to which of the databases the data read or written by the input/output request belongs;

processing, by the storage system, the input/output requests;

when the storage system is ready to process an input/output request in the one or more waiting queues, selecting a next input/output request to process from the one or more waiting queues based at least on selection policies, wherein the selection policies include at least one selection policy that is based at least on;

(a) the groups into which the input/output requests are categorized, and (b) the databases to which the data read or written by the input/output request belongs.

29. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the instructions are configured to, when executed by one or more computing devices, further cause receiving, at the storage system, updates to the selection policies from one or more database servers.

30. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein the request metadata specifies group identifiers for the groups.

31. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 28,

wherein the request metadata specifies logical characteristics of database operations for which the input/output requests were made;

wherein the input/output requests are categorized based on at least one mapping of particular logical characteristics to particular groups of the groups.