Virtualization engine and method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data

摘要

A storage management method for use in a storage area network is provided. The storage area network comprises a plurality of host data processors coupled to a virtualization engine, which is coupled to a plurality of physical storage media. Each physical storage media is assigned a tier level. The method comprises storing a threshold storage access value associated with each tier level, presenting virtual disk(s) to a host data processor and receiving I/O requests to the virtual disk from the host data processor. Additionally, metadata is stored which identifies the tier level of the physical storage to which the block corresponds, mappings between the block and blocks of a virtual disk, and an access rate to the data. The access value is periodically compared to at least one threshold rate associated with its tier level. Depending on the result, storage block(s) may be marked for migration to another tier level.

主权项

1. A method for managing storage of data in a network comprising a plurality of host data processors coupled to a virtualization engine, the virtualization engine being coupled to a plurality of physical storage media, each physical storage medium being assigned a tier level, the method comprising:
storing metadata for blocks of the physical storage media, the metadata identifying:
mappings of the physical block to one or more corresponding virtual block(s) of a virtual storage medium; andthe tier level of the physical block; and storing a break count value threshold; comparing a break count value of at least one of the physical blocks with the threshold break count value; and marking the physical block for migration to another tier level in response to determining that the break count value of the physical block exceeds the break count threshold.