Patent ID: 6934800

Claim:
A method for allocating a first data set to a first storage volume of a storage system, wherein said storage system includes a plurality of storage resources that each contain one or more storage volumes, said method comprising: (a) identifying at least one second data set from which said first data set is to be separated; (b) identifying any of said plurality of storage resources and any volume thereof that contains said second data set; and (c) forming an eligible volume list for selection of said first storage resource according to a policy such that any storage volume identified by step (b) is excluded from said list, whereby a failure in a storage resource that contains said first storage volume or any storage resource identified by step (b) has a minimal impact on the other thereof, wherein the remainder of said storage volumes are ordered according to said policy to prefer those that meet a preferred separation level ahead of those that do not meet said preferred separation level.