Detecting a utilization imbalance between dispersed storage network storage units

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9836352-B2
Application number	US-201414327585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2009
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A method begins by a processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) obtaining utilization information regarding a plurality of storage units of the DSN, where first and second sets of storage units support a first logical storage vault. The method continues with the processing module detecting a utilization imbalance between a first storage unit of the first set of storage units and a second storage unit of the second set of storage units based on the utilization information, where the first and second storage units are not a common storage unit. The method continues with the processing module executing a data storage function regarding the first logical storage vault based on the utilization imbalance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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:
obtaining utilization information regarding a plurality of storage units of the DSN, wherein first and second sets of storage units of the plurality of storage units support a first logical storage vault, wherein the first and second sets of storage units includes a common storage unit, wherein the utilization information of a storage unit of the plurality of storage units includes a listing of logical storage vaults supported by the storage unit and storage capacity consumed for each logical storage vault listed in the listing of logical storage vaults, wherein the first logical storage vault stores a plurality of encoded data objects, and wherein an encoded data object of the plurality of encoded data objects consists of a data object being dispersed storage error encoded into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices;
detecting a utilization imbalance between a first storage unit of the first set of storage units and a second storage unit of the second set of storage units based on the utilization information, wherein the first and second storage units are not the common storage unit; and
executing a data storage function regarding the first logical storage vault based on the utilization imbalance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the utilization information further comprises:
available storage capacity of the storage unit; and
storage capacity trend data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the utilization information comprises one of:
querying the plurality of storage units for the utilization information;
receiving the utilization information from the plurality of storage units; or
retrieving the utilization information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the executing the data storage function comprises:
receiving a write request as the data storage function;
selecting the first set of storage units or the second set of storage units based on the utilization imbalance for storing a first data object associated with the write request to produce a selected set of storage units; and
facilitating storage of the first data object in the selected set of storage units.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the facilitating storage of the first data object comprises:
dispersed storage error encoding the first data object to produce a first plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and
sending write commands to the storage units of the selected set of storage units regarding storage of the first plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the executing the data storage function comprises:
determining that utilization of the first storage unit has reached a utilization threshold of the first storage unit;
determining that utilization of the second storage unit is below a utilization threshold of the second storage unit;
identifying encoded data slices of selected sets of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to migrate stored by the first storage unit; and
migrating the encoded data slices of selected sets of encoded data slices from the first storage unit to the second storage unit.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprises:
updating storage location information of the encoded data slices of selected sets of encoded data slices as currently being stored by the second storage unit.

8. A nontransitory computer readable memory device comprises:
at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the one or more computing devices to:
obtain utilization information regarding a plurality of storage units of the DSN, wherein first and second sets of storage units of the plurality of storage units support a first logical storage vault, wherein the first and second sets of storage units includes a common storage unit, wherein the utilization information of a storage unit of the plurality of storage units includes a listing of logical storage vaults supported by the storage unit and storage capacity consumed for each logical storage vault listed in the listing of logical storage vaults, wherein the first logical storage vault stores a plurality of encoded data objects, and wherein an encoded data object of the plurality of encoded data objects consists of a data object being dispersed storage error encoded into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices;
detect a utilization imbalance between a first storage unit of the first set of storage units and a second storage unit of the second set of storage units based on the utilization information, wherein the first and second storage units are not the common storage unit; and
execute a data storage function regarding the first logical storage vault based on the utilization imbalance.

9. The nontransitory computer readable memory device of claim 8 , wherein the utilization information further comprises:
available storage capacity of the storage unit; and
storage capacity trend data.

10. The nontransitory computer readable memory device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to obtain the utilization information by one of:
querying the plurality of storage units for the utilization information;
receiving the utilization information from the plurality of storage units; or
retrieving the utilization information.

11. The nontransitory computer readable memory device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to execute the data storage function by:
receiving a write request as the data storage function;
selecting the first set of storage units or the second set of storage units based on the utilization imbalance for storing a first data object associated with the write request to produce a selected set of storage units; and
facilitating storage of the first data object in the selected set of storage units.

12. The nontransitory computer readable memory device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to facilitate storage of the first data object by:
dispersed storage error encoding the first data object to produce a first plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and
sending write commands to the storage units of the selected set of storage units regarding storage of the first plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

13. The nontransitory computer readable memory device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by the at least one memory section to cause the one or more computing devices of the DSN to execute the data storage function by:
determining that utilization of the first storage unit has reached a utilization threshold of the first storage unit;
determining that utilization of the second storage unit is below a utilization threshold of the second storage unit;
identifying encoded data slices of selected sets of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to migrate stored by the first storage unit; and
migrating

Assignees

• Cleversafe Inc
• IBM

Inventors

• Resch Jason K
• Cilfone Bart
• Leggette Wesley
• Gladwin S Christopher

Classifications

• G06F11/1092 Primary

  Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk · CPC title

• G06F2211/1028

  Distributed, i.e. distributed RAID systems with parity · CPC title

• G06F11/1076 Primary

  Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems · CPC title

• G06F11/2094

  Redundant storage or storage space (G06F11/2056 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/09

  Digital recording · CPC title