Storage tiering based on virtual machine operations and virtual volume type

摘要

To optimize front-end operations performed on virtual machines, a storage tiering module preemptively guides the placement of virtual volumes in storage tiers within a storage system. Upon detecting a front-end operation request, the storage tiering module identifies a storage requirement, such as an expected provisioning activity level during the front-end operation. Based on the identified storage requirement, the storage tiering module selects an appropriate storage tier. Subsequently, in preparation for the front-end operation, the storage tiering module places the virtual volume at the selected storage tier. Because the storage tiering module places the virtual volume in a tier that reflects the resource consumption expected during the front-end operation, the storage system does not incur the performance degradation that often precedes tier movement in conventional, reactive approaches to storage tiering.

主权项

1. A method of managing data in a storage system that is configured to store data in a plurality of storage tiers, comprising:
receiving a request to perform a front end operation on a virtual disk of a virtual machine that is included in a virtual volume, wherein the front end operation comprises virtual machine provisioning operations of different types that are performed by the storage system on the virtual volume as part of satisfying the front end operation request; in response to the front end operation request being a cloning operation: computing an input/output performance requirement based on the number of linked clones that are both powered-on and associated with the cloning operation; determining which of the storage tiers in the plurality of storage tiers most closely satisfies the input/output performance requirement; selecting the determined storage tier for the virtual volume based on the operation type; transmitting first commands to the storage system to place the virtual volume in the selected storage tier; and transmitting second commands to the storage system to perform back-end operations wherein the back end operations include at least creating, moving or copying virtual volumes.