Patent ID: 8463990
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage system comprising: a processor; a memory; a plurality of storage volumes each being associated with one of a plurality of pool groups, each one of the pool groups including some of the plurality of storage volumes each being classified into one of a plurality of tiers within the one pool group; and a storage controller configured to perform automated page-based tier management of storing data in tiered storage using the pool groups, the page-based tier management including selecting the plurality of tiers within a pool group based on access characteristics for performing allocation against portions of one of the plurality of storage volumes; wherein the access characteristics are characteristics of access to the portions of the one of the plurality of storage volumes; wherein the page-based tier management performed by the storage controller includes evaluating the pool groups based on a preset rule for the page-based tier management in order to determine an evaluation result for each pool group based on the preset rule; wherein the storage controller is configured to use the evaluation results among the plurality of pool groups to determine which pool group is to be selected for performing allocation against portions of the one of the plurality of storage volumes; and wherein, in response to receiving an instruction for rearrangement of data in the tiered storage, the instruction including a requirement to be satisfied in selecting the plurality of tiers within a pool group based on the access characteristics for performing allocation against portions of the one of the plurality of storage volumes, the storage controller is configured to analyze the plurality of pool groups according to the requirement to determine whether any of the plurality of pool groups is appropriate to possess the one of the plurality of storage volumes for storing the data.