Patent ID: 8346990

Claim:
A method for tracking data activity levels comprising: partitioning a data storage space into a plurality of data storage regions, the plurality of data storage regions including a first data storage region having a first size and a second data storage region having a second size, the first size different than the second size; modifying a value of a first counter in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the first data storage region during a first time interval; storing a first cumulative value of the first counter modified in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the first data storage region during the first time interval following the expiration of the first time interval; modifying a value of the first counter in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the first data storage region during a second time interval; storing a second cumulative value of the first counter modified in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the first data storage region during the second time interval following the expiration of the second time interval; modifying a value of a second counter in response to one or more requests directed to a second data storage region during the first time interval; storing a first cumulative value of the second counter modified in response to one or more requests directed to the second data storage region during the first time interval following the expiration of the first time interval; modifying a value of the second counter in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the second data storage region during a second time interval; storing a second cumulative value of the second counter modified in response to one or more input/output requests directed to the second data storage region during the second time interval following the expiration of the second time interval; computing at least one activity index for the first data storage region from at least the first cumulative value of the first counter and the second cumulative value of the first counter; and computing at least one activity index for the second data storage region from at least the first cumulative value of the second counter and the second cumulative value of the second counter.