Allocating storage units in a dispersed storage network

• US 9,207,870 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cleversafe Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Baptist, Andrew, Dhuse, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Sadler, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Namazi, Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US14/303,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20140297951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3442 for planning or managing the needed capacity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3485 for I/O devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1009 using page tables, e.g. page table structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1028 Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A method begins by a processing module detecting a new storage unit within a dispersed storage network DSN. The method continues with the processing module determining to affiliate the new storage unit with a virtual memory vault, where the virtual memory vault is mapped to a set of storage units of the DSN, where data objects are dispersed storage error encoded into pluralities of sets of encoded data slices that are stored in the set of storage units. The method continues with the processing module determining virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit. The method continues with the processing module updating vault information regarding the virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

Claims

1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:

detecting a new storage unit within the DSN;

determining to affiliate the new storage unit with a virtual memory vault, wherein the virtual memory vault is mapped to a set of storage units of the DSN, wherein data objects are dispersed storage error encoded into pluralities of sets of encoded data slices that are stored in the set of storage units;

determining virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

updating vault information regarding the virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to affiliate the new storage unit with the virtual memory vault comprises at least one of:

determining that available physical memory of one or more storage units of the set of storage units is below a desired availability threshold; and

receiving a request to allocate the DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to the new storage unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit comprises:

ascertaining a range of virtual DSN addresses assigned to the vault;

determining virtual DSN addresses of the range of virtual DSN addresses that are unallocated to storage units of the set of storage units to produce unallocated virtual DSN addresses; and

determining to allocate a least some of the unallocated virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit as the virtual DSN addresses.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

sending a vault affiliation message to the new storage unit regarding assignment of the virtual DSN addresses, an affiliation with the vault, and data access processing parameters for the vault.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit comprises:

determining virtual DSN addresses that are currently allocated to a storage unit of the set of storage units to produce allocated virtual DSN addresses; and

reallocating some of the allocated virtual DSN addresses as the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining to affiliate the new storage unit with a second virtual memory vault, wherein the second virtual memory vault is mapped to a second set of storage units of the DSN;

determining second virtual DSN addresses of the second virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

updating second vault information regarding the second virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the second virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

detecting a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determining to map at least some of the plurality of new storage units to a new virtual memory vault;

determining new virtual DSN addresses for the new virtual memory vault; and

creating new vault information regarding the new virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the new virtual DSN addresses to the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

detecting a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determining to affiliate at least some of the plurality of new storage units with the virtual memory vault;

determining sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units; and

updating the vault information to include the allocation of the sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having accessible therefrom a set of instructions interpretable by a processing module, the set of instructions being configured to cause the processing module to carry out operations for:

detecting a new storage unit within a dispersed storage network (DSN);

determining to affiliate the new storage unit with a virtual memory vault, wherein the virtual memory vault is mapped a set of storage units of the DSN, wherein data objects are dispersed storage error encoded into pluralities of sets of encoded data slices that are stored in the set of storage units;

determining virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

updating vault information regarding the virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further causes the processing module to carry out operations for the determining to affiliate the new storage unit with the virtual memory vault by at least one of:

determining that available physical memory of one or more storage units of the set of storage units is below a desired availability threshold; and

receiving a request to allocate the DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to the new storage unit.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further causes the processing module to carry out operations for the determining the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit by:

ascertaining a range of virtual DSN addresses assigned to the vault;

determining virtual DSN addresses of the range of virtual DSN addresses that are unallocated to storage units of the set of storage units to produce unallocated virtual DSN addresses; and

determining to allocate a least some of the unallocated virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit as the virtual DSN addresses.

12. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further being configured to cause the processing module to carry out operations for:

sending a vault affiliation message to the new storage unit regarding assignment of the virtual DSN addresses, an affiliation with the vault, and data access processing parameters for the vault.

13. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further causes the processing module to carry out operations for the determining the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit by:

determining virtual DSN addresses that are currently allocated to a storage unit of the set of storage units to produce allocated virtual DSN addresses; and

reallocating some of the allocated virtual DSN addresses as the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

14. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further being configured to cause the processing module to carry out operations for:

determining to affiliate the new storage unit with a second virtual memory vault, wherein the second virtual memory vault is mapped to a second set of storage units of the DSN;

determining second virtual DSN addresses of the second virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

updating second vault information regarding the second virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the second virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

15. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further being configured to cause the processing module to carry out operations for:

detecting a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determining to map at least some of the plurality of new storage units to a new virtual memory vault;

determining new virtual DSN addresses for the new virtual memory vault; and

creating new vault information regarding the new virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the new virtual DSN addresses to the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.

16. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the set of instructions further being configured to cause the processing module to carry out operations for:

detecting a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determining to affiliate at least some of the plurality of new storage units with the virtual memory vault;

determining sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units; and

updating the vault information to include the allocation of the sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.

17. A computing device comprises:

an interface;

memory; and

a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the memory, wherein the processing module is operable to;

detect a new storage unit within a dispersed storage network (DSN);

determine to affiliate the new storage unit with a virtual memory vault, wherein the virtual memory vault is mapped to a set of storage units of the DSN, wherein data objects are dispersed storage error encoded into pluralities of sets of encoded data slices that are stored in the set of storage units;

determine virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

update vault information regarding the virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module functions to determine to affiliate the new storage unit with the virtual memory vault by at least one of:

determining that available physical memory of one or more storage units of the set of storage units is below a desired availability threshold; and

receiving a request to allocate the DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to the new storage unit.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module functions to determine the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit by:

ascertaining a range of virtual DSN addresses assigned to the vault;

determining virtual DSN addresses of the range of virtual DSN addresses that are unallocated to storage units of the set of storage units to produce unallocated virtual DSN addresses; and

determining to allocate a least some of the unallocated virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit as the virtual DSN addresses.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

send a vault affiliation message to the new storage unit regarding assignment of the virtual DSN addresses, an affiliation with the vault, and data access processing parameters for the vault.

21. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module functions to determine the virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit by:

determining virtual DSN addresses that are currently allocated to a storage unit of the set of storage units to produce allocated virtual DSN addresses; and

reallocating some of the allocated virtual DSN addresses as the virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

22. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

determine to affiliate the new storage unit with a second virtual memory vault, wherein the second virtual memory vault is mapped to a second set of storage units of the DSN;

determine second virtual DSN addresses of the second virtual memory vault to allocate the new storage unit; and

update second vault information regarding the second virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the second virtual DSN addresses to the new storage unit.

23. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

detect a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determine to map at least some of the plurality of new storage units to a new virtual memory vault;

determine new virtual DSN addresses for the new virtual memory vault; and

create new vault information regarding the new virtual memory vault to include the allocation of the new virtual DSN addresses to the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.

24. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the processing module further functions to:

detect a plurality of new storage units within the DSN, wherein the plurality of new storage units includes the new storage unit;

determine to affiliate at least some of the plurality of new storage units with the virtual memory vault;

determine sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units; and

update the vault information to include the allocation of the sets of virtual DSN addresses of the virtual memory vault to allocate the at least some of the plurality of new storage units.