Patent ID: 8886781

Claim:
A method for load balancing in a cluster storage system, comprising: identifying a plurality of source nodes as hot spots within the cluster storage system from which to move a plurality of data objects, wherein a hot spot comprises a node with a total load exceeding a threshold value; dividing the plurality of source nodes into a plurality of sets of source nodes, wherein each of the plurality of sets of source nodes comprises one source node or a small subset of source nodes with overlapping search radii; selecting the plurality of data objects to move from each of the plurality of sets of source nodes, wherein the plurality of data objects are chosen in each node such that the total load of each source node no longer exceeds the threshold value; determining a plurality of target nodes within a specific search radius from each of the plurality of sets of source nodes; concurrently moving the plurality of data objects from each of the plurality of sets of source nodes to the plurality of target nodes.