Patent ID: 8903959

Claim:
A method comprising: allocating data stored on a host storage block for storage on a target storage block based on a plurality of target block characteristics associated with the target storage block, the host storage block and the target storage block being included in a storage network that also includes one or more other storage blocks different from the host storage block and the target storage block, the plurality of target block characteristics including storage capacity of the target storage block, available storage space of the target storage block, likelihood of loss of the data associated with the data being stored on the target storage block, frequency of availability of the target storage block with respect to the storage network, and observed use of the target storage block with respect to other data; determining a plurality of other-characteristics of one or more of: the one or more other storage blocks and one or more other devices associated with the one or more other storage blocks; and determining a distribution strategy that indicates how to distribute the data from the host storage block to the target storage block based on the plurality of other-characteristics.