Managing a storage system

• US 10,042,574 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Doster, Bard A., Niederbrach, Sharon M., Reed, David C., Smith, Max D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KATSIKIS, KOSTAS J
• Application Number:
  US15/438,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20170160974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or 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: 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 first operational characteristic of a first configuration of a storage system is determined. The determination may be made using first data of the first configuration of the storage system and second data related to element interactions of the storage system. At least a second configuration of the storage system that differs from the first configuration is generated using the second data. At least a second operational characteristic of the second configuration is predicted using the second data.

Claims

1. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not transitory per se, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:

determine, by a processor, using first data of a first configuration of the storage system and second data related to element interactions of the storage system, a first operational characteristic of the first configuration, wherein the first data comprises object expiration data;

generate, by the processor, using the second data, at least a second configuration of the storage system that differs from the first configuration;

predict, by the processor, using the second data, and prior to applying the second configuration, at least a second operational characteristic of the second configuration;

apply, by the processor, the second configuration to the storage system by automatically incorporating at least one change to the storage system, wherein the at least one change to the storage system includes performance tuning within settings for an object-access-method parameter library that is part of a data set in an operating system that contains current customer settings; and

predict, by the processor, using the second data, and prior to applying the second configuration, at least a third operational characteristic of a third configuration of the storage system that differs from the first and second configurations.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to collect, by the processor, the first data of the first configuration of the storage system.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to generate, by the processor and prior to predicting the third operational characteristic, the third configuration of the storage system.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to propose, by the processor and prior to applying the second configuration, a suggested configuration for the storage system based on a preferred operational characteristic.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a client preference category of information related to a performance factor and a storage usage factor.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first data also includes at least one of a group consisting of:

a storage-construct category of information that includes a storage group, a management class, and a storage class;

an automatic-class-selection (ACS) routine category of information that includes transition outcomes for the management class and the storage class;

an administration category of information that includes naming information;

a directory category of information that includes metadata about objects;

a parameter-settings category of information that includes client preferences, delay information, and allocation choices; and

a client preference category of information related to a performance factor and a storage usage factor.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the second data related to element interactions of the storage system includes information related to an interaction of components of the storage system and is associated with at least one of:

a storage-construct category of information;

an automatic-class-selection (ACS) routine category of information;

an administration category of information;

a directory category of information;

a parameter-settings category of information;

an exit category of information;

and a client preference category of information.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first and second configurations include at least one value for at least one of:

a storage-construct category of information;

an automatic-class-selection (ACS) routine category of information;

an administration category of information;

a directory category of information;

a parameter-settings category of information;

an exit category of information; and

a client preference category of information.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first and second operational characteristics include at least one of a performance factor and a storage usage factor.

10. A method comprising:

collecting, by a processor, data related to the performance and usage of a storage system, wherein the collected data comprises the initial access response seconds and sustained data rate data specified by a customer user of the storage system;

predicting storage activities based on current settings by analyzing, by the processor, the collected data against experiential data, wherein the analyzing comprises;

selecting objects that require processing from an object directory table based on the current date;

obtaining a transition status by determining transition and back-up requirements of the selected objects; and

determining objects that have not been accessed within a threshold amount of time;

generating, by the processor and based on the predicted storage activities, alternate settings of the storage system;

predicting, by the processor, expected results of the alternate settings;

presenting, by the processor, the alternate settings and predicted results to the customer user of the storage system;

obtaining, by the processor, selected settings for the storage system from the customer user; and

providing, by the processor, instructions for incorporating the selected settings to the customer user, wherein the instructions comprise changing SMS constructs and ACS routines.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the alternate settings comprise manual modifications to IEFSSNxx parmlib values.

12. A system for managing a storage facility, the system comprising one or more processors coupled to a memory and configured to perform a method comprising:

collecting, by a processor, data related to the performance and usage of a storage system, wherein the collected data comprises the initial access response seconds and sustained data rate data specified by a customer user of the storage system;

predicting storage activities based on current settings by analyzing, by the processor, the collected data against experiential data, wherein the analyzing comprises;

selecting objects that require processing from an object directory table based on the current date;

obtaining a transition status by determining transition and back-up requirements of the selected objects; and

determining objects that have not been accessed within a threshold amount of time;

generating, by the processor and based on the predicted storage activities, alternate settings of the storage system;

predicting, by the processor, expected results of the alternate settings;

presenting, by the processor, the alternate settings and predicted results to the customer user of the storage system;

obtaining, by the processor, selected settings for the storage system from the customer user; and

providing, by the processor, instructions for incorporating the selected settings to the customer user, wherein the instructions comprise changing SMS constructs and ACS routines.