Dynamic storage tiering in a virtual environment

• US 9,471,243 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: M. G., Venkatesha, Kumar, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hasan, Syed
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, NICHOLAS E
• Application Number:
  US13/327,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 707/822, 707/687, 707/694
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0667 at data level, e.g. file, record or object virtualisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

Various systems and methods for performing dynamic storage tiering in a virtual environment. For example, one method can involve identifying a location of a storage object within a virtual machine file, where the virtual machine file includes multiple storage objects. The method then involves detecting whether the storage object meets a criterion of a tiering policy. If the storage object meets the criterion, the storage object is moved from one tier of a multi-tier storage system to another tier of the multi-tier storage system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a host operating system, information identifying a location of a storage object of a plurality of storage objects in a virtual machine file from a virtual machine operating system, wherein

the virtual machine file and the virtual machine operating system are associated with a virtual machine,

the location is identified relative to the virtual machine file,

the virtual machine file comprises the plurality of storage objects,

the plurality of storage objects are configured to be accessed by the virtual machine,

the virtual machine is implemented by a host comprising a host operating system,

the plurality of storage objects are not recognized by the host operating system, and

the host is configured to perform storage tiering for storage objects accessible via the host operating system;

translating the location to a host-relative location;

identifying each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to a tiering policy, wherein

the identifying comprises comparing metadata associated with the plurality of storage objects with the tiering policy;

detecting whether the storage object meets a criterion, wherein

the criterion is specified in the tiering policy; and

initiating a move of the storage object from a first storage tier to a second storage tier, wherein

the initiating is performed by the host in response to the detecting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing metadata, wherein

the metadata comprises information identifying a plurality of inodes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

mounting the virtual machine file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the storage object comprises metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a modification to the storage object, wherein

the detecting occurs during the move.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the translating comprises identifying a location in the virtual machine file for each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to the tiering policy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the storage object comprises a file.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a file system executed by the virtual machine.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the criterion, wherein

the criterion comprises at least one of access frequency, a user, age, or security information.

9. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable to:

receive, by a host operating system, information identifying a location of a storage object of a plurality of storage objects in a virtual machine file from a virtual machine operating system, wherein

the virtual machine file and the virtual machine operating system are associated with a virtual machine,

the location is identified relative to the virtual machine file,

the virtual machine file comprises the plurality of storage objects,

the plurality of storage objects are configured to be accessed by the virtual machine,

the virtual machine is implemented by a host comprising the host operating system,

the plurality of storage objects are not recognized by the host operating system, and

the host is configured to perform storage tiering for storage objects accessible via the host operating system;

translate the location to a host-relative location, wherein

translating the location to a host-relative location renders the storage object accessible via the host operating system;

identify each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to a tiering policy, wherein

identifying the each storage object comprises comparing metadata associated with the plurality of storage objects with the tiering policy;

detect whether the storage object meets a criterion, wherein

the criterion is specified in the tiering policy; and

initiate a move of the storage object from a first storage tier to a second storage tier, wherein

initiating the move is performed by the host in response to detecting whether the storage object meets the criterion.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

access metadata, wherein

the metadata comprises information identifying a plurality of inodes.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

mount the virtual machine file.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

detect, during the move, whether the storage object is modified.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein

translating the location comprises identifying a location in the virtual machine file for each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to the tiering policy.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores program instructions executable to;

receive, by a host operating system, information identifying a location of a storage object of a plurality of storage objects in a virtual machine file from a virtual machine operating system, wherein

the virtual machine file and the virtual machine operating system are associated with a virtual machine,

the location is identified relative to the virtual machine file,

the virtual machine file comprises the plurality of storage objects,

the plurality of storage objects are configured to be accessed by the virtual machine,

the virtual machine is implemented by a host comprising the host operating system,

the plurality of storage objects are not recognized by the host operating system, and

the host is configured to perform storage tiering for storage objects accessible via the host operating system;

translate the location to a host-relative location, wherein

translating the location to a host-relative location renders the storage object accessible via the host operating system;

identify each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to a tiering policy, wherein

identifying the each storage object comprises comparing metadata associated with the plurality of storage objects with the tiering policy;

detect whether the storage object meets a criterion, wherein

the criterion is specified in the tiering policy; and

initiate a move of the storage object from a first storage tier to a second storage tier, wherein

initiating the move is performed by the host in response to detecting whether the storage object meets the criterion.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

access metadata, wherein

the metadata comprises information identifying a plurality of inodes.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

detect, during the move, whether the storage object is modified.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein

translating the location comprises identifying a location in the virtual machine file for each storage object of the plurality of storage objects that is subject to the tiering policy.