Patent ID: 7334032

Claim:
A multi-workload storage system adapted to service input/output requests, said storage system comprising: storage elements; a proxy workload generator connected to said storage elements, wherein said proxy workload generator is adapted to generate a proxy workload based on an approximated additional workload from a potential client, said proxy workload having a reduced duty cycle when compared to a full duty cycle of said additional workload; a control server connected to said storage elements and said proxy workload generator, said control server being adapted to apply said proxy workload to said storage elements during discontinuous time slices; and monitors connected to said storage elements and said control server, said monitors being adapted to measure a performance of said storage system as said proxy workload is applied, wherein said control server is further adapted to estimate an impact of said additional workload on said storage system based on said performance, wherein said monitors are further adapted to gather statistics when said additional load is applied to said storage elements; and wherein said control server is further adapted to evaluate said impact of said additional workload on said storage system over an evaluation period using said monitors.