Hierarchical management of storage capacity and data volumes in a converged system

• US 10,824,355 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2017
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ahmed, Khalid, Aronovich, Lior, Black, Mark S., Pasquantonio, Vincenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Paul M
• Application Number:
  US15/403,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20180196608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/062 Securing storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes identifying a plurality of storage resources. Additionally, the method includes creating a storage capacity, where the storage capacity has a first plurality of associated attributes. Further, the method includes defining one or more data volumes for the storage capacity, where each of the one or more data volumes has a second plurality of associated attributes and inherits the first plurality of associated attributes. Further still, the method includes configuring one or more volume shares for each data volume, where each of the volume shares has a third plurality of associated attributes and inherits the first plurality of associated attributes as well as the second plurality of associated attributes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of physical storage resources;

allocating a storage capacity utilizing a storage capacity representation of the plurality of physical storage resources, where a first plurality of associated attributes applies to the storage capacity, the first plurality of associated attributes including a quality of service for the storage capacity, a plurality of input/output (I/O) capacity limitations for the storage capacity, data protection provided for the storage capacity, and a reliability level of the storage capacity;

defining a plurality of data volumes within the storage capacity, utilizing a data volume representation, where;

a second plurality of associated attributes applies to each of the plurality of data volumes, the second plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of data volumes, a size limit of the data volume and data access permissions granted to users for data within the data volume, and

the plurality of data volumes inherit the first plurality of associated attributes;

defining a plurality of volume shares within one of the plurality of data volumes, utilizing a volume share representation of the plurality of data volumes, where;

a third plurality of associated attributes applies to the plurality of volume shares, the third plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of volume shares, a file system path for accessing one of the plurality of data volumes for which the volume share is defined, an indication of applications and containers that can access each of the plurality of volume shares, and access permissions for the plurality of volume shares, and

the plurality of volume shares inherit the first plurality of associated attributes and the second plurality of associated attributes;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container; and

providing, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, in response to determining conflicting attributes between the second plurality of associated attributes for an associated data volume and the third plurality of associated attributes for a volume share, the third plurality of associated attributes for a volume share override the conflicting attributes within the second plurality of associated attributes for the associated data volume.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein, in response to determining conflicting attributes between the second plurality of associated attributes for an associated data volume and the first plurality of associated attributes for an associated storage capacity, the second plurality of associated attributes for an associated data volume override the conflicting attributes within the first plurality of associated attributes for the associated storage capacity.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing a reference to a data volume by an application, the reference including a specification of a name of the data volume by the application, the processing including

verifying that the referenced data volume is eligible for use by the application, the verifying including checking that the referenced data volume is associated with a consumer to which the data access permissions are granted;

and

automatically removing the mounted volume share, in response to determining that the last process or container referencing the mounted volume share has been terminated.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising processing a reference to the mounted volume share, including verifying that a data volume with which the mounted volume share is associated, is also associated with a consumer of an application that activated the process or container.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mounted volume share is automatically removed in response to determining that the process or container is terminated.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising processing a reference by an application to the plurality of data volumes, including verifying that the plurality of data volumes are eligible for use by the application, by checking that the plurality of data volumes are associated with a consumer of the application.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising gathering and reporting storage statistics for one or more consumers.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising presenting storage statistics for one or more consumers, where storage statistics for the plurality of data volumes for one or more consumers are presented in response to drilling down within a graphical user interface (GUI).

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising presenting storage resource consumption for one or more consumers in addition to compute resource consumption for the one or more consumers.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising calculating and aggregating storage statistics for each of the plurality of data volumes, in association with one or more consumers.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising updating storage statistics for each of the plurality of data volumes when input/output (I/O) operations are applied to files or objects within one or more of the plurality of data volumes.

13. A computer program product for managing converged storage resources, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

identifying a plurality of physical storage resources, utilising the processor;

allocating a storage capacity utilizing a storage capacity representation of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the processor, where a first plurality of associated attributes applies to the storage capacity, the first plurality of associated attributes including a quality of service for the storage capacity, a plurality of input/output (I/O) capacity limitations for the storage capacity, data protection provided for the storage capacity, and a reliability level of the storage capacity;

defining a plurality of data volumes within the storage capacity, utilizing the processor and a data volume representation, where;

a second plurality of associated attributes applies to each of the plurality of data volumes, the second plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of data volumes, a size limit of the data volume and data access permissions granted to users for data within the data volume, and the plurality of data volumes inherit the first plurality of associated attributes;

defining a plurality of volume shares within one of the plurality of data volumes, utilizing the processor and a volume share representation of the plurality of data volumes, where;

a third plurality of associated attributes applies to the plurality of volume shares, the third plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of volume shares, a file system path for accessing one of the plurality of data volumes for which the volume share is defined, an indication of applications and containers that can access each of the plurality of volume shares, and access permissions for the plurality of volume shares, and

the plurality of volume shares inherit the first plurality of associated attributes and the second plurality of associated attributes;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container, utilizing the processor; and

providing, to the process or container utilizing the processor, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the third plurality of associated attributes for a volume share override any conflicting attributes within the second plurality of associated attributes for an associated data volume.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to;

identify a plurality of physical storage resources;

allocate a storage capacity utilizing a storage capacity representation of the plurality of physical storage resources, where a first plurality of associated attributes applies to the storage capacity, the first plurality of associated attributes including a quality of service for the storage capacity, a plurality of input/output (I/O) capacity limitations for the storage capacity, data protection provided for the storage capacity, and a reliability level of the storage capacity;

define a plurality of data volumes within the storage capacity, utilizing a data volume representation

where;

a second plurality of associated attributes applies to each of the plurality of data volumes, the second plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of data volumes, a size limit of the data volume and data access permissions granted to users for data within the data volume, and

the plurality of data volumes inherit the first plurality of associated attributes;

define a plurality of volume shares within one of the plurality of data volumes, utilizing a volume share representation of the plurality of data volumes, where;

a third plurality of associated attributes applies to the plurality of volume shares, the third plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of volume shares, a file system path for accessing one of the plurality of data volumes for which the volume share is defined, an indication of applications and containers that can access each of the plurality of volume shares, and access permissions for the plurality of volume shares, and

the volume share representation inherits the first plurality of associated attributes from the storage capacity representation as well as the second plurality of associated attributes from the data volume representation;

mount one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container; and

provide, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of physical storage resources;

allocating a storage capacity utilizing a storage capacity representation of the plurality of physical storage resources, where a first plurality of associated attributes applies to the storage capacity, the first plurality of associated attributes including a quality of service for the storage capacity, a plurality of input/output (I/O) capacity limitations for the storage capacity, data protection provided for the storage capacity, and a reliability level of the storage capacity;

defining a plurality of data volumes within the storage capacity, utilizing a data volume representation, where;

a second plurality of associated attributes applies to each of the plurality of data volumes, the second plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of data volumes, a size limit of the data volume and data access permissions granted to users for data within the data volume, and

the plurality of data volumes inherit the first plurality of associated attributes;

defining a plurality of volume shares within one of the plurality of data volumes, utilizing a volume share representation of the plurality of data volumes, where;

a third plurality of associated attributes applies to the plurality of volume shares, the third plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of volume shares, a file system path for accessing one of the plurality of data volumes for which the volume share is defined, an indication of applications and containers that can access each of the plurality of volume shares, and access permissions for the plurality of volume shares, and

the volume share representation inherits the first plurality of associated attributes from the storage capacity representation as well as the second plurality of associated attributes from the data volume representation;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container;

providing, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share;

processing a reference to a data volume by an application, the reference including a specification of a name of the data volume by the application, the processing including verifying that the referenced data volume is eligible for use by the application, the verifying including checking that the referenced data volume is associated with a consumer to which the data access permissions are granted;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container;

providing, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share; and

automatically removing the mounted volume share, in response to determining that the last process or container referencing the mounted volume share has been terminated.

17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of physical storage resources;

allocating a storage capacity utilizing a storage capacity representation of the plurality of physical storage resources, where a first plurality of associated attributes applies to the storage capacity, the first plurality of associated attributes including a quality of service for the storage capacity, a plurality of input/output (I/O) capacity limitations for the storage capacity, data protection provided for the storage capacity, and a reliability level of the storage capacity;

defining a plurality of data volumes within the storage capacity, utilizing a data volume representation, where;

a second plurality of associated attributes applies to each of the plurality of data volumes, the second plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of data volumes, a size limit of the data volume and data access permissions granted to users for data within the data volume, and

the plurality of data volumes inherit the first plurality of associated attributes;

defining a plurality of volume shares within one of the plurality of data volumes, utilizing a volume share representation of the plurality of data volumes, where;

a third plurality of associated attributes applies to the plurality of volume shares, the third plurality of associated attributes including, for each of the plurality of volume shares, a file system path for accessing one of the plurality of data volumes for which the volume share is defined, an indication of applications and containers that can access each of the plurality of volume shares, and access permissions for the plurality of volume shares, and

the volume share representation inherits the first plurality of associated attributes from the storage capacity representation as well as the second plurality of associated attributes from the data volume representation;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container;

providing, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share;

processing a reference to a data volume by an application, the reference including a specification of a name of the data volume by the application, the processing including verifying that the referenced data volume is eligible for use by the application, the verifying including checking that the referenced data volume is associated with a consumer to which the data access permissions are granted;

mounting one of the plurality of volume shares to a process or a container;

providing, to the process or container, access to one or more of the plurality of physical storage resources, utilizing the mounted volume share;

automatically removing the mounted volume share, in response to determining that the last process or container referencing the mounted volume share has been terminated

gathering storage statistics for one or more consumers within a system; and

presenting storage statistics for one or more consumers within the system in addition to compute statistics for the one or more consumers.