Storage in tiered environment with cache collaboration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9996270-B2
Application number	US-201414325983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

Various embodiments for managing data by a processor in a multi-tiered computing storage environment. Input/Output (I/O) statistics are examined from each of cache and device drivers in the computing storage environment. Based on the I/O statistics, a ranking mechanism is applied to differentiate data between at least a cache rank and a Solid State Drive (SSD) rank. The ranking mechanism migrates data between the cache rank and SSD rank such that storage space in the cache rank is reserved for those of the plurality of data workload types having a greater adverse effect on a storage performance characteristic if stored in the SSD rank than if those workload types were stored in the cache rank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for managing data by a processor in a multi-tiered computing storage environment, comprising:
examining Input/Output (I/O) statistics between a cache within a tiered storage controller and a plurality of storage devices managed by the tiered storage controller in the computing storage environment; and
based on the I/O statistics, apply a ranking mechanism to differentiate data between at least the cache and a Solid State Drive (SSD) rank of an SSD tier of the multi-tiered computing storage environment, wherein the ranking mechanism migrates data between the cache and SSD rank of the SSD tier such that storage space in the cache is reserved for those of a plurality of data workload types of storage operations between hosts and the multi-tiered computing storage environment having a greater adverse effect on a storage performance characteristic if stored in the SSD rank of the SSD tier than if those workload types were stored in the cache; wherein applying the ranking mechanism defines a plurality of data categories, a suitable for both cache and SSD category which further includes random read workloads; a suitable only for cache category which further includes sequential read workloads having a sequentiality above a particular threshold; a suitable only for SSD category which further includes periodic workloads; and a suitable for neither cache nor SSD category; wherein data associated with the plurality of workload types is assigned between the cache, SSD rank of the SSD tier, and an alternative storage rank based at least in part on the storage performance characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including assigning those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting random read I/O operations greater than a particular threshold to the suitable for both cache and SSD category.

3. The method of claim 1 , further including assigning those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting sequential reads greater than the particular threshold to the suitable only for cache category.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including assigning those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting a workload periodicity greater than a predetermined threshold to the suitable only for SSD category.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including assigning those of the plurality of workload types not assigned to the suitable for both cache and SSD category, suitable only for cache category, and suitable only for SSD category to the suitable for neither cache nor SSD category.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein data assigned to the suitable for both cache and SSD category is migrated into the SSD rank of the SSD tier notwithstanding whether the data has been cached in the cache.

7. A system for managing data in a multi-tiered computing storage environment, comprising:
a processor, operable in the computing storage environment, wherein the processor:
examines Input/Output (I/O) statistics between a cache within a tiered storage controller and a plurality of storage devices managed by the tiered storage controller in the computing storage environment, and
based on the I/O statistics, applies a ranking mechanism to differentiate data between at least the cache and a Solid State Drive (SSD) rank of an SSD tier of the multi-tiered computing storage environment, wherein the ranking mechanism migrates data between the cache and SSD rank of the SSD tier such that storage space in the cache is reserved for those of a plurality of data workload types of storage operations between hosts and the multi-tiered computing storage environment having a greater adverse effect on a storage performance characteristic if stored in the SSD rank of the SSD tier than if those workload types were stored in the cache; wherein applying the ranking mechanism defines a plurality of data categories, a suitable for both cache and SSD category which further includes random read workloads; a suitable only for cache category which further includes sequential read workloads having a sequentiality above a particular threshold; a suitable only for SSD category which further includes periodic workloads; and a suitable for neither cache nor SSD category; wherein data associated with the plurality of workload types is assigned between the cache, SSD rank of the SSD tier, and an alternative storage rank based at least in part on the storage performance characteristic.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor assigns those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting random read I/O operations greater than a particular threshold to the suitable for both cache and SSD category.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor assigns those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting sequential reads greater than the particular threshold to the suitable only for cache category.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor assigns those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting a workload periodicity greater than a predetermined threshold to the suitable only for SSD category.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor assigns those of the plurality of workload types not assigned to the suitable for both cache and SSD category, suitable only for cache category, and suitable only for SSD category to the suitable for neither cache nor SSD category.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor migrates data assigned to the suitable for both cache and SSD category into the SSD rank of the SSD tier notwithstanding whether the data has been cached in the cache.

13. A computer program product for managing data by a processor in multi-tiered computing storage environment, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
a first executable portion that examines Input/Output (I/O) statistics between a cache within a tiered storage controller and a plurality of storage devices managed by the tiered storage controller in the computing storage environment; and
a second executable portion that, based on the I/O statistics, applies a ranking mechanism to differentiate data between at least the cache rank and a Solid State Drive (SSD) rank of an SSD tier of the multi-tiered computing storage environment, wherein the ranking mechanism migrates data between the cache and SSD rank of the SSD tier such that storage space in the cache is reserved for those of a plurality of data workload types of storage operations between hosts and the multi-tiered computing storage environment having a greater adverse effect on a storage performance characteristic if stored in the SSD rank of the SSD tier than if those workload types were stored in the cache; wherein applying the ranking mechanism defines a plurality of data categories, a suitable for both cache and SSD category which further includes random read workloads; a suitable only for cache category which further includes sequential read workloads having a sequentiality above a particular threshold; a suitable only for SSD category which further includes periodic workloads; and a suitable for neither cache nor SSD category; wherein data associated with the plurality of workload types is assigned between the cache, SSD rank of the SSD tier, and an alternative storage rank based at least in part on the storage performance characteristic.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further including a third executable portion that assigns those of the plurality of workload types exhibiting random read I/O operations greater than a particular threshold to the suitable for both cach

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Guo Yong
• Mcnutt Bruce
• Tian Jie
• Xu Yan

Classifications

• G06F3/0685

  Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays · CPC title

• G06F3/0608

  Saving storage space on storage systems · CPC title

• G06F3/0649

  Lifecycle management · CPC title

• G06F3/061 Primary

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title